A Manhattan federal jury in the US has found former President Donald Trump guilty of sexually assaulting and defaming journalist E. Jean Carroll in 1996. The court fined Trump $5 million. The court’s ruling could affect Trump’s bid for the 2024 presidential election. However, the court said that Carol had failed to prove that Trump had raped her.
Carroll alleged that the former president Trump raped her at a department store in Manhattan. After releasing a video on behalf of Donald Trump terming these allegations as ‘false’, E. Jean Carroll had claimed the former president for defaming him. Carol (79) has termed this decision of the court as his victory. She said in a statement, ‘I filed this lawsuit against Donald Trump to get my life back. Today, the truth has come before the world.
“This is a victory not just for me, but for every woman who has suffered because she was not believed,” Carol said. Referring to Carroll, Trump said on social media, ‘I have absolutely no idea who this woman is. This decision is shameful. Questioning the court hearing, Trump alleged, “What else can you expect from a Trump-hating, Clinton-appointed judge.”
The former president’s lawyer said outside the court that Trump would appeal the decision. Significantly, Trump has consistently denied allegations of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct leveled against him by different women. He claims that these allegations are politically motivated and a conspiracy to tarnish his image so that he could not join the race for the White House.