Judge rejects Trump’s request to rehear trial in E. Jean Carroll case: “Mr. Trump’s argument is completely unfounded”

A US federal judge has denied former President Donald Trump’s request to rehear the civil lawsuit filed by writer E. Jean Carroll. In January, the writer was awarded $83.3 million for defamation. American media report this.

The judge also denied a request to drop damages in the case. Trump called this “completely out of proportion” compared to the reputational damage to Carroll. “Mr. Trump’s argument is completely without merit, both legally and factually,” Judge Lewis Kaplan said in an 18-page decision.

The case was the second that the 80-year-old Carroll filed against Trump. In May last year, a jury ruled that Trump had sexually assaulted Carroll in a fitting room at a luxury department store in 1996. Because Trump had portrayed her as a liar, he was also found guilty of defamation. However, the facts were legally barred and it was a civil lawsuit. As a result, he did not risk jail time, but he did have to pay $5 million in damages.

On the day of the verdict, Trump again insulted the woman on CNN: the real estate magnate claimed that he had never met Carroll and called her a fool. Carroll then took further legal action, which resulted in the second case. Resulting in $83.3 million in damages.

A lawyer for Trump said he plans to appeal the decision.