Judge orders release of more than $5 million due to E. Jean Carroll in Trump sex abuse, defamation case
A federal judge has ruled that $5 million, plus interest, won by writer E. Jean Carroll in a 2023 civil jury case against President Trump for sexual abuse and defamation must be released. Despite protests from Trump’s lawyers, the money, which has been held in a court-controlled bank account for three years, will now be transferred to Carroll. Trump’s lawyers immediately filed an appeal, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit rejected his request for an emergency stay.
Carroll and her lawyers have been pushing for the funds since the Supreme Court declined to hear Trump’s appeal of the case in June. Trump, however, has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision and is seeking a delay in disbursing the money. Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, has criticized Trump’s efforts as “gamesmanship” and accused him of trying to delay payment.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, in his decision, emphasized that Trump has been stalling the case for years and stated that it is time for him to pay the judgment. He also noted that it is unlikely for the Supreme Court to revisit a matter it has already rejected.
Trump has vehemently denied Carroll’s allegations of sexual abuse, claiming not to know her and calling her story a hoax. In a separate defamation trial in 2024, Carroll was awarded over $83 million for Trump’s repeated denials of the abuse. Trump has also asked the Supreme Court to intervene in that case, arguing that presidential immunity should have prevented certain evidence from being presented to the jury.
The Supreme Court has not yet responded to Trump’s latest efforts. The arguments in both cases revolve around the admissibility of evidence and the issue of presidential immunity. Despite Trump’s continued legal maneuvers, Carroll and her legal team are eager to receive the $5 million in damages awarded to her by the jury. The ongoing legal battle between Carroll and Trump highlights the complexities and challenges of seeking justice in cases of sexual abuse and defamation.
