‘Greatest witch-hunt of all time’: Donald Trump held liable for sexual assault, defamation

Image source: AP Donald Trump liable for sexual assault, defamation

Jurors ruled Tuesday that former US President Donald Trump did not rape magazine writer E Jean Carroll, but sexually assaulted her in the 1990s and then defamed her as a liar. It deals a legal blow to the former US president as he campaigns for re-election in 2024.

In Manhattan federal court, a nine-member jury awarded nearly $5 million in punitive and compensatory damages.

On the first day of the jury’s deliberations, the verdict was announced in a federal courtroom in New York City. Carroll’s claim that she was raped was rejected by the jury, but they found Trump guilty of sexual assault.

Before the nine-person jury began deliberating on Carroll’s battery and defamation charges shortly before noon, US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan read the legal instructions to the jury.

Trump has said that he never knew Carroll or sexually assaulted her. He was not present at the trial.

According to Kaplan, the first question on the verdict form asked jurors whether they believed Trump raped Carroll in the store dressing room.

If they do indeed address that, they will decide whether compensatory and punitive damages should be awarded.

If she didn’t say yes to the rape question, they could decide whether Trump harmed her in less serious ways, such as having sex with her without her consent or causing her injury or sexual gratification. To force her to touch him. Desire.

They will decide whether damages are appropriate if they answered yes to any of these questions.

On claims of slander stemming from a claim Trump made via social media last October, Kaplan said jurors should have been guided by a higher legalistic standard – clear and persuasive evidence.

He said he would need to agree that it was “highly probable” that Trump’s statement was false and made with no intent to harm Carroll or out of hatred or any regard for his rights. I went.

Meanwhile, Trump posted a new social media post in which he said he is currently awaiting a jury verdict “on the perjury charge.”

He added that he was “not allowed to speak or defend himself, even as hard-nosed journalists question me about the matter”. ,

Trump said he would not speak until after the trial, “but will appeal to unconstitutionally silence me regardless of the outcome!”

Even though Trump’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, said Thursday that his client would not testify, the judge extended Trump’s invitation to testify over the weekend despite Trump’s refusal to attend the trial, which is currently in its third year. is in the week.

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