Title: Jury Awards E. Jean Carroll $83.3 Million Defamation Judgment Against Donald Trump

In a significant blow to former President Donald Trump, a jury has reached a verdict in a defamation lawsuit filed by advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. The jury awarded Carroll a staggering $83.3 million judgment, finding that Trump had maliciously damaged her reputation through his public remarks. This verdict may have broader implications for Trump's social media activities and future attempts to discredit Carroll.

The jury's decision, reached on Friday, includes $18 million in compensation for the personal harm Carroll experienced and an additional $65 million as punishment for Trump's actions. This judgment follows a separate trial last May, in which a different jury concluded that Trump had sexually abused Carroll in a Manhattan department store dressing room in 1996. As a result, Carroll was previously awarded $5 million in damages.

Donald Trump and his legal team have vowed to appeal the decision, indicating that the legal battle is far from over. Despite the hefty judgment against him, Trump maintains his innocence and continues to deny any wrongdoing. Carroll, on the other hand, remains steadfast in her accusations against the former president.

The incident in question took place when Carroll ran into Trump at Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue in 1996. Carroll, who had a column in Elle magazine and hosted a cable TV talk show at the time, alleged that Trump lured her to the lingerie section and then into a dressing room, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her. Carroll managed to escape and reported the incident in 2019.

After Carroll's allegations became public, Trump vehemently denied knowing her and accused her of fabricating the assault to promote her book. Carroll responded by suing Trump for defamation, asserting that his statements damaged her reputation and were false.

However, the lawsuit faced legal hurdles, as Trump argued that he was shielded from defamation claims due to his position as president. Eventually, New York passed a law allowing survivors of sexual abuse to pursue civil suits even if the incidents occurred in the distant past. Carroll utilized this new law to file a fresh claim against Trump, alleging rape and suing over his post-presidential remarks.

While criminal charges were not pursued against Trump due to the statute of limitations, the civil verdict has sparked public confusion, with some mistakenly believing he was convicted of sexual assault. The jury in the defamation trial found that, although Carroll had not proven rape, Trump had indeed sexually abused her under New York's legal definition. Moreover, the jury deemed Trump's public comments about Carroll defamatory and not protected free speech, leading to the substantial damages awarded.

Although the main legal issues have been resolved, there remains a pending trial to determine whether Carroll suffered additional damage from Trump's comments while he was still in the White House. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled that this claim requires further examination, but it will not revisit the question of assault or defamation.

As the legal battle continues, this verdict serves as a significant blow to Trump's reputation. It remains to be seen how the appeal process will unfold and whether Trump's comments concerning Carroll will be curtailed moving forward. Nevertheless, the jury's decision sends a strong message about the consequences of damaging remarks and the importance of safeguarding one's reputation.