NEW YORK - Former US president Donald Trump was ordered by a Manhattan jury on Jan 26 to pay US$83.3 million (S$112 million) to writer E. Jean Carroll for defaming her in social media posts, news conferences and even in the midst of the trial ever since she first accused him in 2019 of raping her in a department store dressing room decades earlier.
Her lawyers argued that a large award is necessary to stop Trump from continuing to attack her. The award included US$65 million in punitive damages, which the ninemember jury assessed after finding that Trump, 77, acted maliciously after Ms Carroll's lawyers pointed to his persistent attacks on her, from the White House and after leaving office.
On a single day recently, he made more than 40 derisive posts about her on his Truth Social website.
Trump had already left for the day when the dollar figures were read aloud. Hearing the numbers, his lawyers slumped in their seats.
The jury was dismissed, and Ms Carroll, 80, embraced her lawyers.
Minutes later, she walked out of the courthouse arm-in-arm with her legal team, beaming for the cameras.
"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," she said in a statement, thanking her lawyers effusively.
During the trial, Ms Carroll testified that Trump's repeated taunts and lashing out mobilised many of his supporters, leading to an onslaught of attacks on social media and in her e-mail inbox that frightened her and "shattered" her reputation as a well-regarded advice columnist for Elle magazine.
Bu hikaye The Straits Times dergisinin January 28, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Straits Times dergisinin January 28, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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