E. Jean Carroll Awarded $83.3 Million in Defamation Case

The Verdict

On January 26, 2024, a federal jury in Manhattan ordered Donald Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defaming her. The award included $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching its decision, a remarkably swift conclusion to a case that had stretched over years of legal battles.

Background of the Case

E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist for Elle magazine, first publicly accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the mid-1990s. When she came forward with the allegation in 2019, Trump denied ever meeting her, called her “not my type,” and suggested she fabricated the story to boost book sales. These statements formed the basis of her defamation claims.

In a separate trial in May 2023, a jury had already found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her, awarding $5 million in that case. The January 2024 trial focused specifically on additional defamatory statements Trump made while he was president.

Trump’s Conduct During Trial

Trump’s behavior during the proceedings became a story in itself. He frequently made audible comments from the defense table, at one point loud enough for jurors to hear. Judge Lewis Kaplan warned Trump’s lawyers multiple times about their client’s courtroom conduct. Trump also continued to attack Carroll on social media during the trial, which Carroll’s attorneys argued demonstrated his refusal to stop defaming her and justified a large punitive award.

Aftermath and Appeal

Trump vowed to appeal the verdict, calling the case a “witch hunt” and a “Biden-directed assault on democracy.” Legal experts noted the massive punitive damages reflected the jury’s apparent desire to deter Trump from continuing to attack Carroll publicly. The verdict came during the heat of the Republican primary campaign, adding to an unprecedented pile of legal liabilities facing a presidential frontrunner.