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: 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.

Jan 31, 2024, 4:09 PM EST

Trump looking to hire new law firm for appeal

Former President Trump said Tuesday that he's in the process of interviewing law firms to represent him in his appeal of the $83 million ruling in his defamation damages trial.

"I am in the process, along with my team, of interviewing various law firms to represent me in an Appeal," Trump posted to his social media platform. "I will make my decision soon!"

Alina Habba, Trump's legal counsel in the case, confirmed to ABC News that she continues to represent the former president in the matter.

Hiring a separate firm to handle the appellate process is a normal step in a case of this nature, and Habba said her team will work with the new firm as the appeal proceeds.

Jan 26, 2024, 7:17 PM EST

Carroll's lawyer calls verdict 'a great victory'

In a statement, E. Jean Carroll lauded the jury's verdict.

"This is a great victory for every woman who stands up when she’s been knocked down, and a huge defeat for every bully who has tried to keep a woman down," Carroll said.

Her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said, "Today’s verdict proves that the law applies to everyone in our country, even the rich, even the famous, even former presidents."

"We thank the jury for standing up for E. Jean and the rule of law,” she said.

Jan 26, 2024, 5:54 PM EST

Trump's attorney calls jury 'ridiculous'

Addressing the media outside the courthouse, Trump attorney Alina Habba slammed the $83 million verdict, dismissing the jury as "ridiculous" and repeating Trump's vow to immediately appeal.

"We will immediately appeal. We will set aside that ridiculous jury," Habba said. "I assure you -- we didn't win today, but we will win."

Alina Habba, one of former President Donald Trump's attorneys, speaks to the member of the media outside Federal court, on Jan 26, 2024, in New York.
Yuki Iwamura/AP

Habba repeated her grievances with the orders from the judge, who instructed the defense that, based on the ruling in Trump's previous trial, they could not dispute that Trump assaulted Carroll and later defamed her when he denied it.

"You are not allowed to be stripped of every defense you have," Habba said.

Habba said she was "so proud" to represent Trump, and repeated his familiar claim that he is being targeted for political purposes.

Jan 26, 2024, 5:14 PM EST

Carroll, following decision, hugs her attorneys

After the decision was announced, E. Jean Carroll and her lawyers locked hands as they stood for the jury to exit, and multiple jurors appeared to nod toward them as they left the courtroom for the final time.

Carroll and her lawyers immediately broke into a group hug as soon as Kaplan dismissed the parties.

E. Jean Carroll enters a car as she leaves the Manhattan Federal Court, in the second civil trial after she accused former President Donald Trump of raping her decades ago, in New York, Jan. 6, 2024.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Trump's defense team promptly exited the courtroom once they were dismissed, and his attorney Alina Habba thanked the court's staff for their service.

Shortly after Judge Kaplan's deputy read the verdict, the judge thanked the jury for their service and offered them a suggestion about interacting with the media.

"My advice to you is that you never disclose that you were on this jury, and I won't say anything more about it," Kaplan told the jury.

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