US Court Upholds $5 Million Verdict Against Trump in Sexual Abuse Case

WASHINGTON:
A US federal appeals court has upheld a jury’s decision ordering President-elect Donald Trump to pay $5 million for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll.

The verdict, reached after a nine-day civil trial in New York last year, found Trump guilty of sexually abusing Carroll in a Manhattan department store in 1996. The jury awarded Carroll $2 million for the abuse and an additional $3 million for defamation after Trump publicly denied her claims.

Trump appealed the ruling, arguing that the testimonies of two other women who had accused him of sexual assault should not have been admitted as evidence.

However, the Second US Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed his appeal, stating, “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.”

In a separate case brought by Carroll, a jury awarded her $83 million in damages. Trump has also appealed that verdict.

Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, announced plans to appeal the $5 million judgment.

In a statement, Cheung accused Democrats of politically targeting Trump, calling the case a “hoax” and asserting that the “American people re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate.”

Cheung further criticised the judicial system, alleging political weaponisation and demanding an end to investigations against Trump.

Meanwhile, special counsel Jack Smith has dropped two federal cases against Trump, citing a Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting President. The cases involved allegations of mishandling classified documents and attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

However, Trump still faces legal challenges. In May, he was convicted in New York on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Although Judge Juan Merchan recently denied Trump’s request to overturn the conviction, sentencing has been postponed indefinitely.