In a recent interview, Shawn Crowley, the attorney representing E. Jean Carroll, expressed concerns over former President Donald Trump's continued public denouncements of Carroll, especially following the significant $83 million defamation verdict awarded to her. The verdict, which came after a New York jury found Trump guilty of defaming Carroll by denying allegations of sexual assault, seems not to have deterred Trump from making public statements about Carroll, raising questions about potential further legal action.
During a 2024 campaign rally in Michigan, Trump questioned Carroll's identity with remarks like, "Who the hell is she? Who is the woman?" These comments prompted Crowley to speculate on MSNBC's program hosted by Jen Psaki, whether the $83 million defamation judgment was insufficient to restrain Trump from making such statements. "Every time Donald Trump speaks, he has the biggest megaphone in the world, and so everyone hears them, including us and including our client, E. Jean Carroll," Crowley stated, underscoring the wide-reaching impact of Trump's words.
Crowley highlighted the unanimous decisions by two federal juries, which found that Trump not only knew Carroll but also sexually assaulted her and subsequently lied about it. This pattern of behavior, according to Crowley, has been consistent and defamatory over the last five years.
While Crowley did not confirm whether Carroll would pursue a third lawsuit against Trump following his recent comments, she made it clear that Carroll's legal team is closely monitoring the situation. "We had really hoped that $83 million would maybe be enough to convince him to keep E. Jean Carroll's name out of his mouth," Crowley remarked. The implication being that further legal measures could be considered if Trump continues his public denouncements.
The legal battles between Carroll and Trump have been high-profile, drawing widespread media attention. Carroll's victory and the subsequent $83 million verdict were hailed as significant for women standing up against bullying and for the principle that the law applies to everyone, even those in high power. Roberta Kaplan, another lawyer for Carroll, emphasized the importance of the verdict in demonstrating that the law holds everyone accountable, irrespective of their status.
As Trump is expected to appeal the jury's decision, he must post the entire verdict amount plus court-mandated interest before initiating the appeal process. This ongoing legal saga between Carroll and Trump continues to unfold, with potential implications for both parties as they navigate the aftermath of the recent verdict and Trump's continued public statements.
