In a ruling issued on Thursday, Judge Lewis Kaplan noted that Trump’s arguments lacked merit, both legally and factually. He cited reasons provided in Carroll’s legal opposition to Trump’s motion. Kaplan stated that Trump’s arguments ignored several key facts, including that the jury and the court had found his statements about Carroll to be false, defamatory, and made with actual and common law malice.
Thee judge also highlighted that these defamatory statements were viewed between 85 to 104 million times, and that the jury had every right to believe Carroll’s testimony about the impact these statements had on her. Furthermore, Kaplan pointed out that Trump had not provided any persuasive legal basis to support his claims. He emphasized that when there are differing theories and evidence presented at trial, the jury is typically responsible for deciding causation, and the court should not normally interfere with that.
Mr. Trump’s argument is entirely without merit both as a matter of law and as a matter of fact for all of the reasons articulated in Ms. Carroll’s memorandum of law in opposition to his motion. Among other things, it ignores the fact that, as the jury and/or the Court concluded, Mr. Trump’s…statements were false, defamatory, and made with both actual and common law malice. It ignores the fact that those defamatory statements were viewed between at least 85 to 104 million times…It ignores as well the fact that the jury was entitled to believe Ms. Carroll’s testimony as to the impact of the…statements on her. And it ignores the lack of any persuasive legal authority supporting Mr. Trump’s contention. Indeed, the law is clear that when competing theories and evidence are presented at trial, the issue of causation ultimately is one for the jury, which the Court should not ordinarily disturb.
In short, the argument — which Mr. Trump previously made to the the jury, conspicuously without success, and which defies common sense — does not warrant dismissal as a matter of law
Kaplan concluded his ruling by stating, “Accordingly, Mr. Trump’s motions for a new trial and for a judgment as a matter of law are DENIED.”
In May 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll, resulting in a $5 million judgment against him. Later, in January 2024, another New York jury determined that Trump defamed Carroll based on his social media statements accusing her of orchestrating a hoax. As a result, he was ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million in damages.
Breaking
Trump LOSES his bid for a new trial or a judgment overturning the more than $80 million verdict for E. Jean Carroll in the second trial.
Ruling https://t.co/5JncAkNDLj pic.twitter.com/pLpN2CWS4i
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) April 25, 2024
