OUR Donald Trump raped E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and then defamed her, a Manhattan jury ruled Tuesday, giving the former U.S. president another legal blow as he campaigns for the top job in 2024.

The jurors, who deliberated for just under three hours, rejected Trump’s claim that he had not sexually assaulted Carroll. The body, consisting of six men and three women, had to come to unanimity. In doing so, he awarded Carol about $5 million in damages.

Carol accused Trump of raping her in a department store fitting room New York in the mid 1990s.

The author and journalist testified that she had known Trump for many years prior to their meeting at the department store and found him “pleasant” and “sociable”. At Bergdorf, she said, she was about to leave when Trump recognized her and reached out to her, forcing her to stop.

“He said, ‘Hey, you’re a lady consultant,’ and I said, ‘Hey, you’re that real estate mogul,'” he said. They started joking and Trump’s tone was “teasing,” she continued, testifying that he wanted to buy underwear for another woman. He asked her to try on a pair of underwear, and she joked that he should put them on. He then led her into a fitting room, closed the door, pushed her against the wall, and raped her, she claimed.

Deciding in November 2019 to take civil defamation claims, she then filed a lawsuit against Trump because in June of that year he called her rape allegations “complete lies.”

The then Republican president consistently responded that Carol was “not the type of woman he prefers,” and his lawyers argued in 2019 that their client was protected by head-of-state immunity.

As for the rape allegations, Carol was unable to file a lawsuit in 2019 because the alleged crime had expired.

However, on November 24, 2022, a New York State law (the “Adult Survivors Act”) went into effect that allows victims of sexual assault to file a civil lawsuit within one year.

As such, Carol filed a new civil suit in New York in November for “defamation” as well as “assault” and sought a lawsuit for damages, with her lawyers accusing Trump in the lawsuit of “caressing her”. , tamed her and raped her.”

He remains loved

President from 2017 to 2021, Trump leads the polls for Republican presidential candidates and has shown an uncanny ability to navigate challenges that could sink other politicians.

“It seems unlikely in America’s polarized political climate that a civilian verdict would have an impact on Trump’s supporters, who view his legal troubles as part of a concerted effort by opponents to undermine him,” Reuters said.

“Trump’s opponents will stay the same, Trump’s core voters won’t change, and I don’t think swingers will be moved by that sort of thing,” said Charlie Jarrow of Pennsylvania. Republican strategist.

Any negative impact is likely to be small and limited to suburban women and moderate Republicans, he said.

According to Reuters