In a significant development, a Manhattan judge has denied former President Donald Trump's request for a new trial in the sexual abuse case brought by E. Jean Carroll. The case had previously resulted in a jury awarding the columnist $5 million in damages.
Judge Lewis Kaplan dismissed Trump's motion, stating that there was "ample, arguably overwhelming evidence, that Mr. Trump forcibly digitally penetrated Ms. Carroll, thus fully supporting the jury’s sexual abuse finding." Trump had sought a new trial, arguing that the damages awarded were excessive given that the jury did not find him liable for rape.
However, Judge Kaplan disagreed with this assertion, stating that the award did not "deviate materially from reasonable compensation so as to make it excessive." He further added, "The jury in this case did not reach ‘a seriously erroneous result.' Its verdict is not ‘a miscarriage of justice.'"
Carroll, 79, had sued Trump in 2022, alleging that he assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman fitting room in the 1990s. The Manhattan federal jury in April found the former president liable for sexually abusing the "Ask E. Jean" advice columnist and for defaming her in a lengthy October 2022 post on his social media platform, Truth Social. In the post, Trump called her allegations a "hoax" and denied knowing her.
Carroll still has an open case claiming that Trump defamed her in 2019 when she went public with her allegations. She asserts that his denial of knowing her damaged her reputation as a journalist.
Trump filed a notice of appeal of the verdict two days after the trial concluded. On Wednesday, he filed a notice stating his intention to also appeal Judge Kaplan’s ruling denying his motion for a retrial.
Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, stated, "Now that the court has denied Trump’s motion for a new trial or to decrease the amount of the verdict, E. Jean Carroll looks forward to receiving the $5 million in damages that the jury awarded her." She further added that Carroll is also looking forward to continuing to hold Trump accountable for his actions at the trial in Carroll I, which is scheduled to begin on January 15, 2024.
Trump's lawyers have not yet responded to requests for comment on the latest development.