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.

Last Updated: January 26, 2024, 10:31 AM 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.

Jan 26, 2024, 10:27 AM EST

Carroll's attorney says Trump was 'trying to ruin her'

Prior to Donald Trump's dramatic and unexpected exit, E. Jean Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan had been telling the jury, in her closing statement, that Trump responded to Carroll's 2019 sexual assault claim "by trying to ruin her," thereby triggering "a tsunami of attacks" against her.

Trump shook his head, silently disagreeing, as the attorney reminded the jury that a prior trial found Trump sexually assaulted Carroll and, when she later accused him, unleashed "vicious attacks against her."

"This case is about how to compensate Ms. Carroll for the harm Donald Trump's original statements in June 2019 caused her," she said. "This case is also about punishing Donald Trump for what he has done and for what he continues to do. It's about punishing him for the malicious nature of his original attacks in 2019, and considering his continued attacks. This trial is about getting him to stop once and for all."

The attorney took aim at the defense's argument that Trump's statements made Carroll more famous, enlarged her following, and enabled new career opportunities.

"Being known as a liar and whack job is different than being known as a respected advice columnist," she said.

Jan 26, 2024, 10:12 AM EST

Trump walks out during plaintiff's closing statement

Former President Trump walked out of the courtroom as Carroll's attorney was delivering her closing statement.

Former President Donald Trump walks out during attorney Roberta Kaplan's closing argument, during E. Jean Carroll's second civil trial at Manhattan Federal Court in New York City, Jan. 26, 2024, in this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters

Judge Lewis Kaplan interrupted.

"The record will reflect that Mr. Trump just rose and walked out of the courtroom," the judge said.

Jan 26, 2024, 10:05 AM EST

Judge warns courtroom to be silent during closings

Before the jury was brought into the courtroom, Judge Lewis Kaplan issued a warning to all present prior to the start of closing arguments.

"No one in the courtroom is to say anything except for opposing counsel to say objection," the judge said. "No audible comments by anybody else."

Kaplan did not direct the warning at anyone in particular, but earlier in the trial he threatened to boot Trump from courtroom after the former president made comments that the jury could hear.

Before the jury entered, the defense asked permission to show the jury tweets from 2019 that Twitter users had written about E. Jean Carroll prior to Trump's defamatory statements denying her assault claim. Earlier, Trump's attorneys had argued that Trump wasn't responsible for the online attacks on Carroll, because she was already being attacked before Trump issued his denial.

The judge did not allow the defense to display the additional tweets.

When Trump attorney Alina Habba attempted to press ahead with her argument, Kaplan interrupted.

"You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup -- now sit down," Kaplan boomed.

Jan 26, 2024, 9:15 AM EST

Trump arrives at courthouse

Former President Trump has arrived at the courthouse for closing arguments this morning.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he departs for his second civil trial after E. Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her decades ago, outside a Trump Tower in New York City, Jan. 26, 2024.
Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Jurors are expected to begin deliberations today after attorneys for Trump and E. Jean Carroll deliver their closings.

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