Audio By Carbonatix
A federal appeals court on Monday refused to throw out an $83.3 million jury verdict against U.S. President Donald Trump for damaging the reputation of the writer E. Jean Carroll in 2019 when he denied her rape claim.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan rejected Trump's argument that the January 2024 verdict should be overturned because he deserved presidential immunity.
It also faulted Trump's persistence in attacking Carroll, with attacks against the former Elle magazine columnist becoming "more extreme and frequent" as the trial approached.
"The record in this case supports the district court's determination that the 'degree of reprehensibility' of Mr. Trump's conduct was remarkably high, perhaps unprecedented," the unanimous three-judge panel said in its unsigned decision.
A different jury in May 2023 found Trump liable to Carroll for sexual abuse and defamation, but not rape, and awarded her $5 million. The appeals court upheld that verdict in June.
Both verdicts are among a slew of legal woes Trump faced after leaving the White House in 2021.
The Republican denied all wrongdoing, and on the campaign trail, portrayed his courtroom battles as part of a Democratic-led plot to undermine his ultimately successful 2024 campaign.
Trump is appealing other courtroom losses, including his May 2024 criminal conviction for falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal, and a fraud finding in New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil lawsuit over his family business.
The appeals are continuing, though Trump received no prison time in the criminal case, and persuaded a New York state appeals court to throw out a roughly half-billion-dollar penalty in the civil case.
In a statement on Monday, Trump's lawyers said: "President Trump will keep winning against Liberal Lawfare, as he is focusing on his mission to Make America Great Again."
Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said in a statement: "We look forward to an end to the appellate process so that justice will finally be done."
Latest Stories
-
The book of orphans with parents
25 minutes -
Liberia’s Ambassador to Ghana condoles family of slain Liberian, urges Justice
30 minutes -
The Kenkey Festival: 10 years of cultural projection through cuisine
41 minutes -
Prayer or Poison? The deadly cost of fake prophets and miracle materials in Ghana
43 minutes -
Seven decades of faith: Rev. Christie Doe Tetteh launches 70th birthday celebrations
56 minutes -
Climate Evidence: Illegal logging of shea and other economic trees driving deforestation in Upper West
56 minutes -
Bili Odum Writes: I am the blocker…
1 hour -
Ayawaso East by-election: I’ve advised all my supporters to stay calm and law-abiding – Baba Jamal
1 hour -
Chief of Staff’s committee completes review of 2,080 post-election public service appointments
1 hour -
Bush burning and biodiversity: Bonyanto’s 10-year model of zero-fire record
1 hour -
Baba Jamal votes, calls for peaceful election in Ayawaso East by-election
1 hour -
Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025: Analysis and recommendations for a transformative legal training in Ghana
1 hour -
Police presence at polling stations speaks negatively of our democracy — Boakye Agyarko
2 hours -
Gov’t to commence enrollment for affordable homes under National Homeownership Fund
2 hours -
We make the wrong choices when money rules elections – Boakye Agyarko
2 hours
