Court rules against US president-elect: Massive damages

Bad news has arrived for US president-elect Donald Trump from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan. The Appeals Court rejected Trump's arguments that the trial was unfair and upheld the $5 million damages verdict in favor of former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll. The court determined that evidence that surfaced during Trump's 2016 election campaign—in which Trump was heard boasting about how he seduces women while speaking with the host of a television program called “Access Hollywood” in 2005—was consistent with Carroll's allegations. The court found that Trump's actions demonstrated a repeated and distinct pattern of behavior.

In its ruling, the court stated, “Given the entire record and the strength of Ms. Carroll’s arguments, we are not persuaded that the district court’s reasoned decision contained any error or errors that violated Mr. Trump’s rights.”

In his appeal, Trump had argued that it was unfair for the court to allow the jury to consider the testimony of other women who accused him of sexual assault or the “Access Hollywood” video as trial evidence.

APPEALS PROCESS CONTINUES

President-elect Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, stated in a comment on the matter, “Americans demand an immediate end to the weaponization of our justice system and the rapid dismissal of all witch hunts, including the Democrat-funded ‘Carroll hoax’.” Cheung announced that the appeals process for the case would continue.

FOUND LIABLE LAST YEAR

The district court’s May 2023 verdict finding Trump liable was based on an incident that occurred in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in late 1995 or early 1996. Carroll, who once wrote columns for the beauty and fashion magazine Elle, had alleged that Trump raped her there. Carroll also stated that Trump defamed her by claiming in social media posts in October 2022 that her rape allegation was baseless. While the jury at the Manhattan district court did not find that Trump committed rape, they awarded Carroll $2.02 million for sexual abuse and damages for defamation.

News Source: 12punto