Former President Donald Trump suffered a setback on Friday as a federal appeals court upheld a jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s and subsequently defaming her when she publicly revealed her allegations years later.
The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New York declined Trump’s request for an en banc rehearing, effectively upholding a previous decision made by a three-judge panel that had confirmed a Manhattan federal jury’s ruling, which included a $5 million damages award to Carroll.
In the latest decision, two judges from the 2nd Circuit dissented, arguing against the majority’s refusal to rehear the case. Their dissent pointed to “striking departures” from legal precedent to support what they described as an “irregular judgment.”
Notably, both dissenting judges, Steven Menashi and Michael Park, were appointed by Trump during his first term in office in 2019.
E. Jean Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating, “E. Jean Carroll is very pleased with today’s decision.” Kaplan emphasized that Trump’s ongoing legal maneuvers to contest the findings of two juries have been unsuccessful, affirming that he is still liable for the charges of sexual assault and defamation.
Trump’s remaining recourse includes petitioning the Supreme Court to take on his appeal. A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team indicated that this avenue is likely, dismissing Carroll’s claims as a “Democrat-funded Carroll Hoax” and asserting that “President Trump will keep winning against Liberal Lawfare” while he remains focused on his political agenda.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
