Trump Lawyer Seeks to Overturn Monumental $5 Million Verdict in E. Jean Carroll Case
A lawyer representing Donald Trump urged the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to dismiss a $5 million verdict that found the former president liable for sexually assaulting and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The legal team argued that the testimony of two other women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct was improperly admitted during the trial, raising complex legal questions.
Trump, the current Republican presidential nominee, briefly paused his campaign to attend the hearing. The May 2023 civil jury verdict remains under appeal as Trump’s lawyer, John Sauer, objected to the admission of a 2005 “Access Hollywood” video where Trump graphically discussed forcing himself on women. Sauer claimed the trial included “highly inflammatory, inadmissible propensity evidence,” which unfairly swayed the jury.
The Testimony of Other Women in Question
Much of the debate during Friday’s hearing revolved around whether the trial judge should have allowed testimony from two other women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct decades ago. Sauer emphasized that the case was based on “implausible allegations,” accusing Carroll of having a political motive, and questioned the reliability of their testimonies.
The three-judge panel overseeing the appeal—all appointed by Democratic presidents—did not indicate when they would issue their ruling, a decision that could significantly impact the case.
Trump Denies Wrongdoing, Calls Case ‘Ridiculous’
The case stems from allegations that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll in a Manhattan department store dressing room around 1996. The jury awarded Carroll $2.02 million for the sexual assault and $2.98 million for defamation over a Truth Social post in which Trump called her allegations a hoax. Trump continues to deny the accusations, claiming he didn’t know Carroll and that her accusations were politically motivated.
After the oral arguments, Trump described the case as “ridiculous” and suggested, without evidence, that an artificial intelligence might have generated a photo of him with Carroll.
Challenges to Verdict and Jury’s Decision
Trump’s appeal argues that U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw both trials, erred by allowing testimony from Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff. Leeds alleged that Trump groped her on a plane in the late 1970s, while Stoynoff accused Trump of forcibly kissing her at Mar-a-Lago in 2005.
Circuit Judge Denny Chin noted that overturning a jury verdict based on evidentiary rulings would be challenging, signaling skepticism toward Trump’s argument. Meanwhile, Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, emphasized that Trump had a pattern of “chatting up” women before engaging in misconduct, which was relevant to the case.
Both sides now await the court’s decision on whether the jury’s verdict will stand.