Donald Trump suffered another loss in court on Wednesday (September 6). A federal judge found the former president liable for defamation in writer E. Jean Carroll’s second lawsuit against him.
Earlier this year, a New York jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. Jurors awarded her $5 million in damages.
Carroll’s first lawsuit accused Trump of sexual abuse in the ‘90s and defamation in 2022. Her second lawsuit targeted comments made while he was still in office in 2019.
Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled in Carroll’s favor, saying the jury’s previous decision determined the ex-president’s liability. A trial is scheduled for January 2024, but the judge’s ruling means the proceedings will only determine the damages owed to Carroll.
“The truth or falsity of Mr. Trump’s 2019 statements therefore depends — like the truth or falsity of his 2022 statement — on whether Ms. Carroll lied about Mr. Trump sexually assaulting her,” Judge Kaplan explained. The jury’s finding that she did not therefore is binding in this case and precludes Mr. Trump from contesting the falsity of his 2019 statements.”
Trump is appealing the verdict in Carroll’s original sexual abuse and defamation case, which she won in May. His lawyers believe it will be overturned, nullifying Judge Kaplan’s ruling in the second defamation case.
“We remain very confident that the Carroll II verdict will be overturned on appeal, which will render this decision moot,” attorney Alina Habba said. “We also anticipate that the Second Circuit will stay this trial as it considers the meritorious defenses that have been raised by President Trump.”
Trump’s latest legal defeat occurred a few weeks after he was booked and released from jail in Georgia. The former president and his allies were hit with RICO charges for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The Georgia election case is one of four criminal cases against Trump. He faces 91 charges in total.
