A jury has found Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. This is the first time the former president, who has been accused of sexual assault by several women, has been found legally responsible for a claim against him.
The case was brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who filed the suit under New York's Adult Survivors Act.
The suit claimed, "Roughly 27 years ago, playful banter at the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in New York City took a dark turn when Defendant Donald J. Trump seized Plaintiff E. Jean Carroll, forced her up against a dressing room wall, pinned her in place with his shoulder, and raped her."
Carroll began to speak publicly about the allegations in 2019. At the time, Trump accused her of lying and seeking only to promote her memoir. Carroll in turn sued Trump for defamation before filing a second suit claiming battery and defamation.
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All nine members of the jury (six men and three women) found Trump liable for sexual abuse, a second-degree offense. Because the suit was civil and not legal, Trump is unlikely to be charged with a crime. The jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million.
