Donald Trump Takes Legal Action Following E. Jean Carroll Verdict

OPINION:  This article contains commentary which may reflect the author’s opinion

Donald Trump, the 45th president, formally challenged the decision against him in the civil case brought by E. Jean Carroll on Thursday.

Earlier this week, a jury in Carroll’s legal lawsuit against Trump held him responsible for violence and defamation. Trump, though, was not found guilty of rape. Trump argued that the case was just another witch hunt against him in response to the ruling.

Three women and six men made up the jury that reached this verdict. Before making a choice, they talked for nearly three hours. According to reports, $5 million in compensation was given to E. Jean Carroll.

“I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHO THIS WOMAN IS,” Trump said on Truth Social in response to the decision. “THIS VERDICT IS A DISGRACE – A CONTINUATION OF THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME!”

Trump indicated earlier in the day that he was not permitted to talk or defend himself. But he was asked to give a public statement at the trial.

“Waiting for a jury decision on a False Accusation where I, despite being a current political candidate and leading all others in both parties, am not allowed to speak or defend myself,” he wrote, adding, “even as hard-nosed reporters scream questions about this case at me.”

“In the meantime, the other side has a book falsely accusing me of Rape, & is working with the press,” Trump wrote. “I will therefore not speak until after the trial, but will appeal the Unconstitutional silencing of me, as a candidate, no matter the outcome!”

According to Politico, the case against Trump involved an alleged rape that allegedly took place on a Thursday night in the spring of 1996 in a changing room in the lingerie department on the sixth floor of Bergdorf Goodman. Although it appears that Carroll first made the complaint in 2019, the prosecution has presented two witnesses who claim that Carroll told them about the alleged rape soon after it happened.

During his deposition, President Trump repeatedly refuted the accusation, claiming,  “It didn’t happen. And by the way, if it did happen, it would have been reported within minutes. Talking about going to a major floor, probably I assumed the most important floor, a major floor in a major department store. That’s a very busy store, by the way, checkout counters and everything else. And I would be in there– I mean, it’s the most ridiculous. It’s the most ridiculous disgusting story is just made up.”

During a CNN town hall on Wednesday night, the leading Republican contender also made light of the situation by highlighting the multiple ways that evidence that would have reflected favorably on Carroll’s character was suppressed.

Carroll lashed out at Trump for his comments on her story and the case he made during CNN’s town hall, according to The New York Times.

“It’s just stupid, it’s just disgusting, vile, foul, it wounds people,” she said, adding that she had been “insulted by better people.”

Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, indicated that Carroll might bring another defamation claim in response to Trump’s town hall remarks.

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