Donald Trump has blasted the New York jury’s “absolutely ridiculous” verdict in which E. Jean Carroll was awarded $83.3 million in damages for defamation.
The former president, 77, vowed to appeal, calling his rape accuser’s case a “Biden Directed Witch Hunt.”
‘Complete idiot! “I completely disagree with both statements, and will appeal this entire Biden-directed witch hunt that targeted me and the Republican Party,” he posted on Truth Social minutes after the jury’s damages award was heard in Manhattan court announced.
Donald Trump has blasted the New York jury’s ‘absolutely ridiculous’ verdict awarding E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defamation
Trump used the stunning decision to denounce the US justice system – leaving him to face four criminal charges brought by prosecutors before grand juries.
‘Our legal system has gotten out of hand and is being used as a political weapon. They took away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!’
Trump has already appealed an earlier $5 million judgment in a separate defamation case, the first case brought against him by Carroll.
A second appeal would give him the opportunity to overturn the jury’s $65 million punitive damages award, which was in addition to the $18.3 million in compensatory damages, along with additional compensatory damages.
Trump lawyer Alina fumed over the verdict outside the courthouse, on a day when Judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to jail her for court interruptions.
“You cannot be stripped of any defenses you have,” she said angrily.
‘There was no DNA. There was no expert. My experts were turned away – two of them. Two of them were not allowed to come in,” she said.
It came after a dramatic day in court where Trump left the courtroom after Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan urged jurors to punish him.
It was a gesture that the judge made sure was included in the record.
Experts say one possible area was of appeal
The case centered on comments Trump made about Carroll after she accused him of raping her in the Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s.
Trump, 77, insists he has never met Carroll, has consistently said she was not his type and has described the lawsuit as a “witch hunt” and “election interference.”
He must pay $7.3 million for ’emotional damage’ and another $11 million for ‘reputational damage’. An additional $65 million must also be provided for punitive damages.
Carroll and her attorneys wiped away tears of joy and hugged each other as they left the courtroom arm in arm with big smiles on their faces.
Trump responded to Truth Social, calling the verdict “Absolutely ridiculous!” and promised to appeal the decision.
He then condemned the ‘Biden Directed Witch Hunt’ and called the US justice system ‘out of control’ and used as a ‘political weapon’ to attack him.
“They took away all First Amendment rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!’
Trump’s total cash assets were estimated to total $93 million in 2020, according to documents obtained by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is separately investigating the Trump Organization’s finances — and he is said to be in for millions more the problems can come.
Trump’s lawyers sat slumped in discussion as the verdict was read.
Judge Kaplan advised the jurors to remain anonymous before dismissing them, saying, “My advice to you is that you never reveal that you were on this jury.”
Earlier Friday, chaos erupted in the Manhattan courtroom as Trump walked out after Carroll’s lawyer said the jury should punish him.