Title: Trump‘s Defamation Case Against E. Jean Carroll Dismissed, Must Pay $5 Million
A Manhattan appellate court has dismissed Donald Trump’s appeal, upholding a lower court’s ruling that he must pay E. Jean Carroll $5 million in damages for sexual abuse and defamation. The decision, handed down by a three-judge panel on Monday, ends a years-long legal battle between the former president and the longtime journalist.
In 2019, Carroll filed a lawsuit against Trump, alleging that he sexually assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman fitting room in the 1990s and later damaged her career by denying the accusation and labeling her a "liar" and "not my type." Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations and called Carroll’s story a "hoax."
The lower court ruled in favor of Carroll in 2022, finding that Trump was liable for defamation and must pay punitive damages. The appellate court agreed with that ruling, but dismissed Carroll’s claim of battery, as the statute of limitations had expired.
Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, had argued that the former president’s statements were protected under the scope of First Amendment provisions for political speech. However, the appellate court unanimously rejected this argument, citing precedent that Trump’s denials were not statements of public concern but personal attacks.
The decision comes at a time when Trump is facing a growing number of legal challenges, including investigations into his business dealings and actions surrounding the 2020 presidential election. The dismissal of his appeal in Carroll’s case further solidifies the lower court’s ruling and sets a legal precedent for future cases involving public figures and defamation.
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