Legal Summary: A federal jury found Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in damages. Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan has repeatedly clarified that this conduct constitutes rape "as many people commonly understand the word 'rape'" and that "the jury found that Mr. Trump in fact did exactly that."
E. Jean Carroll alleges Trump assaulted her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room
Carroll first publicly disclosed the allegation in her memoir
Carroll filed civil lawsuit under New York's Adult Survivors Act
Jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarded $5 million in damages
Judge Kaplan rejected Trump's motion for new trial, clarified conduct constitutes rape
Judge dismissed Trump's defamation counterclaim against Carroll
Second defamation trial resulted in additional $83.3 million judgment against Trump
"The finding that Ms. Carroll failed to prove that she was 'raped' within the meaning of the New York Penal Law does not mean that she failed to prove that Mr. Trump 'raped' her as many people commonly understand the word 'rape.'"
— Judge Lewis Kaplan, July 2023
"Indeed, as the evidence at trial recounted below makes clear, the jury found that Mr. Trump in fact did exactly that."
— Judge Lewis Kaplan, referring to rape in common understanding
"The jury's finding of sexual abuse therefore necessarily implies that it found that Mr. Trump forcibly penetrated her vagina."
— Judge Lewis Kaplan, explaining the jury's findings
The case highlights an important legal distinction:
"I'm telling you he raped me, whether I screamed or not."
— E. Jean Carroll, during cross-examination
"Today, the world finally knows the truth. This victory is not just for me but for every woman who has suffered because she was not believed."
— E. Jean Carroll, May 2023
"A United States District Judge has now formally held, in a lengthy written opinion, that it is perfectly appropriate, and, indeed, entirely accurate, to call a certain former President of the United States a rapist."
— George Conway, Constitutional Lawyer
This documentation is based on court records, jury verdicts, and judicial rulings in the case of Carroll v. Trump. All sources are from established news organizations reporting on the legal proceedings.
Last updated: January 2024