Reported by Kerry Howard Mwesigwa
On May 9, 2023, a federal court jury in New York found former US President Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll, an advice columnist, in 1996. As a result, the jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages, which she sought along with a retraction of Trump’s defamatory denials of her allegations. However, the jury did not find Trump guilty of rape, though they held him responsible for sexual abuse and defamation after Carroll made her claims public.
Trump was not present during the trial, but he immediately took to social media to condemn the verdict, reiterating his denial of any knowledge of Carroll and calling the verdict “a disgrace” and “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.” In contrast, Carroll expressed relief in a written statement released after leaving the courthouse, stating that she sued Trump to clear her name and reclaim her life.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, also issued a written statement, hoping that her client’s case would send a message that no one, not even the president of the United States, is above the law. In the immediate aftermath of the verdict, Trump’s Republican Party rivals have largely remained silent, leaving the impact of the verdict on Trump’s third presidential bid unclear.
