A federal appeals court affirmed a jury’s verdict in a civil case, finding that Donald Trump sexually abused a columnist in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the $5 million awarded to the columnist for defamation and sexual abuse.
The columnist testified at the 2023 trial that Trump escalated a playful encounter in spring 1996 into a violent assault.
Trump, who repeatedly denied the assault, did not attend the trial. However, he briefly testified at a subsequent defamation trial, which resulted in an $83.3 million award stemming from comments he made in 2019 after the columnist publicly accused him.
The appeals court rejected arguments from Trump’s lawyers challenging Judge Lewis A. Kaplan’s rulings, including allowing testimony from two other women who accused Trump of sexual abuse and admitting the “Access Hollywood” tape into evidence.
The 2nd Circuit concluded that Trump hadn’t demonstrated any judicial errors affecting his substantial rights warranting a new trial.
In September, both the columnist and Trump attended oral arguments before the 2nd Circuit.
Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, stated that Trump’s election mandate demanded an end to the “political weaponization” of the justice system and dismissal of the “Democrat-funded Carroll Hoax,” which would be appealed further.
Roberta Kaplan, the columnist’s lawyer, expressed satisfaction with the decision, thanking the court for its consideration.
A May 2023 jury found Trump had sexually abused and defamed the columnist.
A second jury in January awarded additional damages for Trump’s defamatory comments made while president, accepting the first jury’s finding of sexual abuse. This verdict is still under appeal.
The columnist testified that Trump’s public comments damaged her life, leading to death threats and fear.
Trump’s brief testimony at the second trial didn’t allow him to challenge the first jury’s findings; however, his presence during the trial was noted.
Trump’s lawyer, D. John Sauer, argued during the appeal that testimony from witnesses recalling the columnist’s account of the 1996 encounter was inadmissible due to their bias against Trump.
Sauer also argued for the exclusion of testimony from two women who accused Trump of similar sexual abuse. Trump has denied these allegations.
The 2nd Circuit noted similarities in Trump’s actions across three alleged encounters, describing a pattern of behavior.
The court deemed the “Access Hollywood” tape directly corroborative of the pattern of behavior described by the women.
The Associated Press follows its policy of not identifying individuals who allege sexual assault unless they have come forward publicly, as the columnist has.