Judge to rule on Trump’s 2019 defamed writer, who has already won a sex abuse and defamation lawsuit against him
NEW YORK (AP) — Four months after a jury found that Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed According to advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that more of the ex-president’s comments about her were defamatory. The decision means an upcoming second civil lawsuit will be all about how much more he has to pay her.
The verdict is intended to significantly simplify the second trial, which is scheduled for January. These are statements made by Trump in 2019, after Carroll first publicly claimed that Trump sexually assaulted her in the dressing room of a luxury department store in the 1990s, which he denies.
The first trial this spring dealt with the sexual assault allegation itself and whether recent Trump comments were defamatory. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million and found she had been sexually assaulted, but dismissed her claim that she was raped.
“The jury considered and ruled on issues common to both cases – including whether Mr Trump falsely accused Ms Carroll of fabricating her allegation of sexual assault and, if so, whether he had the knowledge to do so that this allegation was false.” acted with reckless disregard for the truth, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan wrote in his decision Wednesday.
The judge said the May jury’s verdict, which found that Trump did in fact sexually abuse Carroll, effectively proves his 2019 testimony was also false and defamatory.
Carroll and her attorneys “look forward to a trial limited to damages for Donald Trump’s original defamatory statements,” said her attorney Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to the judge.
Trump’s attorney Alina Habba said Wednesday that his legal team is confident the jury’s verdict will be overturned, giving the judge’s new decision. Trump, the early frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nominationalso tries to postpone the second process.
