E. Jean Carroll defamation case: Judge denies Trump's motion for mistrial

A jury ordered Donald Trump to pay Carroll $83 million for defaming her.

ByPeter Charalambous, Aaron Katersky, and Olivia Rubin
Last Updated: February 7, 2024, 4:38 PM EST

Former President Donald Trump, at the end of a five-day trial, has been ordered to pay $83.3 million in damages to former Elle magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll for defaming her in 2019 when he denied her allegations of sexual abuse.

Last year, in a separate trial, a jury determined that Trump was liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the dressing room of a Manhattan department store in the 1990s, and that he defamed her in a 2022 social media post by calling her allegations "a Hoax and a lie" and saying "This woman is not my type!"

Trump has denied all wrongdoing and has said he doesn't know who Carroll is.

Top headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Jan 25, 2024, 10:26 AM EST

Carroll is a 'truth teller,' former editor says

E. Jean Carroll was a "beloved" columnist at Elle magazine, her former editor testified as the final witness in Carroll's case.

"She was beloved by the readers," Roberta Myers testified. "I would say she was the most prominent columnist that we had. I thought of her column as a destination. People would often pick up the magazine and go to her column first."

"She's a truth-teller," Myers said of Carroll.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Alina Habba established that Myers is a registered Democrat who did not vote for Trump in either 2016 or 2020.

When Habba asked whether Myers planned to vote for Trump in 2024, Myers answered, "I don't think I have to say what I plan to do."

Trump watched Myers' testimony from his seat at the defense table.

Jan 25, 2024, 10:19 AM EST

Elle magazine editor takes the stand

After a late start, today's proceedings are underway in former President Trump's defamation damages trial.

Roberta Myers, the former editor-in-chief of Elle magazine, where E. Jean Carroll was an advice columnist, has taken the stand to testify for Carroll.

Trump is seated at the defense table with his attorneys.

Jan 25, 2024, 9:57 AM EST

Trump is in court

Former President Donald Trump has arrived in court this morning.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures to his supporters, as he departs for his second civil trial after E. Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her decades ago, outside a Trump Tower, Jan. 25, 2024, in New York.
Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

The proceedings, which were scheduled to get underway at 9:30 a.m. ET, were off to a late start.

Jan 25, 2024, 9:00 AM EST

Carroll's attorneys expected to rest their case

If former President Trump takes the stand in his own defense today, it will happen after Carroll's attorneys rest their case.

Carroll's lawyers plan to call one final witness: Robbie Myers, the former editor-in-chief of Elle magazine, where Carroll was an advice columnist.

As part of the defense's case, Trump's lawyers also plan to call Carol Martin, a friend of Carroll's who testified in the earlier assault and defamation trial.

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