Speaking toTodayon Wednesday morning, Carroll, 79, offered her first official reaction to the New York jury’s decision alongside her attorney Roberta Kaplan.
“I’m overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed with joy and happiness and delight for the women in this country,” Carroll told hostSavannah Guthrie.
“He was found liable of a very serious charge,” she added. “Sexual abuse under New York law is very serious and the jury found that that’s what he did.”
“I didn’t even hear the money,” she continued about being awarded $5 million in damages in the civil case. “This is not about the money. This is about getting my name back.”
Despite this, Carroll stated she is determined to collect the damages from Trump.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty, Ron Sachs - Pool/Getty
Carroll was then prompted on what she would say to Trump face-to-face if she had the chance to confront him.
Reaching a verdict required the jury fewer than three hours of deliberations.
To reach a unanimous conclusion, nine jury members — six men and three women — were asked to answer upto 10 questions, some of which dealt with the degree of battery, if any, they would like to hold Trump liable for. Options included determining whether he raped Carroll, sexually abused her, forcibly touched her or did none of the above.
They ultimately concluded that she was not raped, but sexually abused: the second-highest offense that they could choose. Because it is a civil trial, their verdict does not determine guilt as a legal matter and will not lead to criminal charges. The jury did, however, have the power to order that Trump pay Carroll $2 million for sexual abuse and nearly $3 million for defamation.
E. Jean Carroll outside the courthouse.Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty
In her suit, the writer alleged: “Roughly 27 years ago, playful banter at the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in New York City took a dark turn when Defendant Donald J. Trump seized Plaintiff E. Jean Carroll, forced her up against a dressing room wall, pinned her in place with his shoulder, and raped her.”
The complaint further alleged that Carroll “remained silent for over two decades” for fear of being buried in “threats and lawsuits” and damage to her reputation and livelihood.
It also claimed that the incident “severely injured Carroll, causing significant pain and suffering, lasting psychological harms, loss of dignity, and invasion of her privacy” and sought “redress for her injuries and to demonstrate that even a man as powerful as Trump can be held accountable under the law.”
Carroll went public with her allegations against Trump in 2019, after which Trump adamantly denied Carroll’s claims of assault, saying inan interview: “No. 1: She’s not my type” and, further, that he had “never met this person in my life.” (The two have been photographed together, though Trump said that was an incidental moment.)
Trump also tweeted at the time that Carroll was “totally lying” about the rape, claiming she made up the allegation in order to help sell her memoir.
This most recent trial, however, was part of Carroll’s second lawsuit, filed in November 2022 and alleging both battery and defamation.
Spencer Platt/Getty
Carroll testified on day two of the civil trial in New York City, saying, “I’m here because Donald Trump raped me,” according to multiple news outlets, “and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen.”
“He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life back,” she added.
Carroll’s trial served as a platform for other women who have accused Trump of sexual assault, with witnesses including former PEOPLE writerNatasha Stoynoffand ex-businesswoman Jessica Leedswho detailed their own claims of assaultat the hands of the former president.
Stoynoffexclusively told PEOPLEmoments after learning the verdict Tuesday that she’s “elated,” saying, “I’m grateful to the jury for believing Ms. Carroll, Ms. Leeds, and myself … and for standing up for truth. I hope women and all of those who come forward to share stories of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment find support. There is power in the truth.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
