Former US president Trump must again pay compensation to writer E. Jean Carroll. The judge rules that he is liable in a libel case she brought against him. In January, a jury must determine what amount Trump should pay the author.
Trump already owes E. Jean Carroll $5 million following a previous civil lawsuit over sexual assault and libel. She had accused Trump of molesting her in a department store in the 1990s. In May, a jury found Trump liable. He had also been guilty of libel by stating that the writer had made up everything.
Because it has already been established in the previous case that the writer did not lie about the allegations, it is not necessary to prove again in January what happened in the fitting room in the department store. That is why in January it will only be about the amount to be paid by Trump. Carroll still wants more than 10 million dollars from him.
Trump appeals
The writer’s lawyers say they are looking forward to the case, which starts on January 15. Trump has appealed the jury’s verdict in May and the judge’s decision to hear this second lawsuit nonetheless. Trump’s defense says it assumes that the earlier jury verdict will be overturned on appeal, which means that today’s verdict is no longer relevant.
Trump is also trying to stop the continuation of the second lawsuit. His lawyers believe his statements about E. Jean Carroll fall under his presidential immunity, so he could not be sued for libel.
More legal trouble
The lawsuits surrounding Carroll are just two of the lawsuits Trump faces in the run-up to his bid to once again become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. In New York, for example, he is accused of fraud. In that case, he had requested a postponement until after October, but the judge refused to grant it, it was announced today.
A lawsuit in Georgia alleging Trump was part of a criminal conspiracy to invalidate the outcome of the 2020 presidential election is also pending and will be heard in the middle of campaign time. Prosecutors in that case expect the trial to last four months, they said today.
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