Former US President Donald Trump has failed in his libel lawsuit against author E. Jean Carroll. She accused him of raping her in a New York department store in the mid-1990s.
A jury in May found that unproven, but did find allegations that Trump assaulted and sexually assaulted Carroll. He was sentenced to a fine of USD 5 million (equivalent to approximately EUR 4.56 million). After the verdict, Carroll reiterated that she also raped Trump in the mid-1990s. The Republican then sued for libel.
Legal definition vs. daily life
However, a federal court rejected this. A federal judge said a sexual assault conviction could include finger penetration. Legally, such a case is not rape, but outside of this narrow legal definition it can be spoken of. The term is used and understood in similar cases in everyday life. There was therefore no basis for a libel claim.
Trump’s lawyers, on whom he has reportedly already spent a fortune, criticized the decision as “flawed” and announced they would appeal. The former US president is currently on trial again and again, both civil and criminal.
He was recently charged with attempted election interference and the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Source: Krone
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