Topline
Former President Donald Trump Tuesday sued E. Jean Carroll for defamation once again, accusing her of making “false statements” alleging he raped her, weeks after a jury in a civil trial found him liable of sexually abusing the New York-based author and ordered him to pay $5 million in damages.
Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the New … [+]
Key Facts
In a counterclaim filed with the Southern District of New York federal court, Trump accuses Carroll of damaging his reputation by accusing him of raping her during an appearance on CNN on May 10.
The counterclaim points to the jury’s verdict in the civil suit, which concluded that Trump sexually abused and defamed the author, but unanimously rejected the claim that he raped her.
The counterclaim alleges that during the CNN appearance when Carroll was asked specifically about the jury’s verdict that the former president did not rape her, she responded “oh yes he did, oh yes he did.”
The filing accuses Carroll of acting with “actual malice and ill will with an intent to significantly and spitefully harm and attack” Trump’s reputation.
The counterclaim urges the court to overturn the damages awarded to Carroll in the civil case, have her retract her statements, and award “compensatory and punitive damages” to Trump.
Big Number
$5 million. That is the total amount in damages the jury awarded Carroll last month in her civil suit against the former president. Trump was ordered to pay the author $2 million in damages for sexual abuse and around $3 million for defamation.
News Peg
Last week, a New York federal judge granted Trump’s legal team permission to deposit $5.55 million while they appealed the verdict in the civil case. The former president’s legal team filed an appeal against the verdict shortly after it was issued. Trump’s team sought a fresh trial in a case arguing the damages granted to Carroll were “grossly excessive” as the jury found ruled that the incident between the two of them was sexual abuse and not rape.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/06/28/trump-sues-e-jean-carroll-for-defamation-once-again-over-rape-claim/