The Supreme Court has once again denied President Donald Trump’s attempt to dismiss a jury’s decision requiring him to pay $5 million to E. Jean Carroll. Carroll accused Trump of sexually abusing her in a New York City department store during the mid-1990s and later defaming her. Trump’s legal team requested that the justices review the rejection of his appeal, which the court declined.
While not common, the court sometimes considers these kinds of requests. Trump settled the judgment shortly after the court turned down his appeal in June. Additionally, Trump and the Justice Department are appealing another decision involving Carroll, seeking to overturn a verdict that demands an $83 million payment. They claim that Trump should be immune from lawsuits related to remarks he made about Carroll in 2019, during his presidency. The court has yet to make a decision on this appeal.
Carroll, known for her role as a longtime advice columnist and former television talk show host, testified during a trial in 2023. She recounted how a pleasant encounter with Trump in the 1990s turned into a violent assault in the dressing room of the Bergdorf Goodman department store, located near Trump Tower in Manhattan. The jury found Trump guilty of defaming Carroll through his denial of her claims in 2022. Trump continues to deny any misconduct.
The Associated Press typically refrains from naming individuals who allege sexual assault unless they publicly disclose their identity, as Carroll has done.