Originally published May 9, 2023 3:03 pm PDT
On Tuesday, a jury found former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also running for the 2024 presidency, liable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996 and awarded her $5 million in damages, The Associated Press (AP) reports.
Although the jury did not find Trump guilty of rape, as Carroll had claimed, they held him responsible for a lesser form of sexual assault, which Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, found “perplexing.”
Upon hearing the verdict in a federal courtroom in New York City, Carroll nodded in agreement and embraced her supporters.
In addition to the sexual assault charges, the jury also found Trump liable for defaming Carroll after she publicly disclosed her allegations.
Trump chose not to attend the civil trial and was not present when the verdict was read.
Reacting to the verdict, Trump released a statement on his social media site, reiterating his claim that he does not know Carroll and condemning the verdict as “a disgrace” and “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.”
He also vowed to appeal the decision, AP notes.
