A federal judge in New York has ordered that E. Jean Carroll be paid more than $5 million in damages from a verdict that found President Donald Trump civilly liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The decision follows the Supreme Court’s recent refusal to hear Trump’s appeal against the verdict.
The funds, which Trump deposited with the court nearly three years ago, will be released to Carroll along with accrued interest, totaling approximately $5.8 million. Trump’s legal team had requested that the payment be delayed pending a petition for rehearing with the Supreme Court. However, the court declined to accept this petition for filing, effectively upholding the 2023 jury verdict.
Judge Lewis Kaplan’s order comes after a lengthy legal battle that began when Carroll sued Trump, alleging he assaulted her in a New York department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. The jury found Trump guilty of defamation for his public denials of Carroll’s claims, which he continues to contest.
Trump’s lawyers argued that the funds should not be disbursed as Carroll intends to donate them, making recovery difficult if the verdict is later overturned. However, Carroll’s attorneys pushed for the release, stating that the litigation has reached its conclusion.
The Guardian reported that legal experts view further appeals as unlikely to succeed. The decision marks a significant milestone in Carroll’s pursuit of justice, following years of litigation across multiple court levels.
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