A federal appeals court affirmed on Monday a $5 million civil judgment holding US President-elect Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll and denied his motion for a new trial.
Trump had sought to overturn the verdict, alleging procedural and evidentiary errors, including the admission of testimony from two other women who accused him of sexual misconduct.
The appellate panel determined the trial court did not abuse its discretion in its rulings on evidence and concluded that any potential errors were not prejudicial enough to warrant a retrial.
In a related case, a separate jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in damages after finding that Trump defamed her by denying her allegations, stating she was not his type, and implying she fabricated the claims for financial gain. Trump has appealed that decision as well.
Carroll accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in Bergdorf Goodman and later defaming her by denying the claim, saying she was not his type, and alleging she made up the story to sell her book. Trump denied the allegations, and since the case was civil, he faces no criminal liability.
The jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse but not for rape, as defined under New York law. Carroll brought her claims under the New York State Adult Survivors Act, which created a temporary window for individuals to pursue civil claims in sexual assault cases that were previously time-barred.
Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, condemned the rulings as politically motivated and reiterated plans to pursue further appeals, calling the lawsuits part of a broader “witch hunt.”