A federal appeals court has upheld the $5 million civil judgment against President-elect Donald Trump in the high-profile case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, marking a significant development in the legal battles surrounding the former president. The case centered on Carroll's allegations of sexual abuse in the 1990s and subsequent defamation by Trump when she went public with her claims decades later.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump's appeal on Monday, concluding that the lower district court's evidentiary rulings were neither erroneous nor prejudicial. "We conclude that Mr. Trump has not demonstrated that the district court erred in any of the challenged rulings. Further, he has not carried his burden to show that any claimed error or combination of claimed errors affected his substantial rights as required to warrant a new trial," the court stated in its decision.
The original jury trial, held last year, found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Manhattan department store dressing room in 1996 and defaming her in public statements. Trump, who did not testify or present a defense during the trial, has consistently denied the allegations, dismissing them as politically motivated.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, announced the former president's intention to continue appealing the case. "The American People have re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate, and they demand an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and a swift dismissal of all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded Carroll Hoax, which will continue to be appealed," Cheung stated.
Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, welcomed the appellate court's ruling, stating, "Both E. Jean Carroll and I are gratified by today's decision. We thank the Second Circuit for its careful consideration of the parties' arguments."
The appeal focused on several evidentiary rulings made by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan during the nine-day trial. Trump's defense argued that testimony from two other women who accused Trump of past sexual misconduct should not have been admitted. Jessica Leeds testified that Trump groped her during a flight in the late 1970s, while Natasha Stoynoff alleged that Trump forcibly kissed her in 2005 at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Additionally, Trump's legal team objected to the jury hearing the infamous 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump was caught on a hot mic making lewd comments about women.
The appeals court dismissed these objections, emphasizing the relevance of the evidence in establishing a pattern of behavior. The "evidence of other conduct was relevant to show a pattern tending to directly corroborate witness testimony and to confirm that the alleged sexual assault actually occurred," the court ruled.
Trump is also contesting a separate $83 million defamation judgment awarded to Carroll earlier this year. That case, stemming from defamatory remarks Trump made while serving as president and after the $5 million verdict, is also under appeal. In the earlier case, Trump unsuccessfully argued that his comments were protected by presidential immunity.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Trump has maintained that he does not know Carroll and that her allegations were fabricated to promote her memoir. However, Carroll's legal team argued successfully that Trump's statements caused significant harm to her reputation, warranting punitive damages.
