Trump Vows to Appeal 'Absolutely Ridiculous' $83.3 MILLION E. Jean Carroll Verdict: Ex-President Rages 'This Isn't America' and Claims the Case is a 'Biden Directed Witch Hunt'
- Trump vowed to appeal minutes after a jury awarded him damages
- He called it part of a “witch hunt” and criticized the American justice system
- His lawyer Alina Habba was furious because she had been 'stripped of any defense'
Donald Trump has blasted the New York jury's “absolutely ridiculous” verdict in which E. Jean Carroll was awarded $83.3 million in damages for defamation.
The former president, 77, vowed to appeal, calling his rape accuser's case a “Biden Directed Witch Hunt.”
'Complete idiot! “I completely disagree with both statements, and will appeal this entire Biden-directed witch hunt that targeted me and the Republican Party,” he posted on Truth Social minutes after the jury's damages award was heard in Manhattan court announced.
Donald Trump has blasted the New York jury's 'absolutely ridiculous' verdict awarding E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million in damages for defamation
Trump used the stunning decision to denounce the US justice system – leaving him to face four criminal charges brought by prosecutors before grand juries.
'Our legal system has gotten out of hand and is being used as a political weapon. They took away all First Amendment rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!'
Trump has already appealed an earlier $5 million judgment in a separate defamation case, the first case brought against him by Carroll.
A second appeal would give him the opportunity to overturn the jury's $65 million punitive damages award, which was in addition to the $18.3 million in compensatory damages, along with additional compensatory damages.
Trump lawyer Alina fumed over the verdict outside the courthouse, on a day when Judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to jail her for court interruptions.
“You cannot be stripped of any defenses you have,” she said angrily.
'There was no DNA. There was no expert. My experts were turned away – two of them. Two of them were not allowed to come in,” said the attorney from Bedminster, New Jersey.
Trump overturned the verdict minutes after the jury hit him with $83.3 million in damages
Trump attorney Alina Habba overturned the verdict in comments outside the courtroom
E. Jean Carroll smiled outside the courthouse but said nothing else
The anger came after a trial in which Trump testified for just under four minutes, after the judge limited what he could say and Habba tried to get comments from Trump refuting Carroll into the record.
The phase of the trial focused on Trump's statements as president, not on the finding that a separate jury had already come to find him liable for sexual abuse. That's something Judge Kamplan referred to in court, when he said Trump “actually sexually assaulted” Carroll.
Carroll's team denounced Trump's appearance in court, saying that Trump said under his breath in court, “I don't know who the woman is.” I've never met this woman.'
It came after a dramatic day in court where Trump left the courtroom after Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan urged jurors to punish him.
It was a gesture that the judge made sure was included in the record.
The case centered on comments Trump made about Carroll after she accused him of raping her in the Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s.
Trump, 77, insists he has never met Carroll, has consistently said she was not his type and has described the lawsuit as a “witch hunt” and “election interference.”
He must pay $7.3 million for 'emotional damage' and another $11 million for 'reputational damage'. An additional $65 million must also be provided for punitive damages.
Carroll and her attorneys wiped away tears of joy and hugged each other as they left the courtroom arm in arm with big smiles on their faces.
Trump responded to Truth Social, calling the verdict “Absolutely ridiculous!” and promised to appeal the decision.
He then condemned the 'Biden Directed Witch Hunt' and called the US justice system 'out of control' and used as a 'political weapon' to attack him.
“They took away all First Amendment rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!'
Trump's total cash assets were estimated to total $93 million in 2020, according to documents obtained by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is separately investigating the Trump Organization's finances — and he is believed to be in for millions more the problems can come.
Trump's lawyers sat slumped in discussion as the verdict was read.
Judge Kaplan advised the jurors to remain anonymous before dismissing them, saying, “My advice to you is that you never reveal that you were on this jury.”
Earlier Friday, chaos erupted in the Manhattan courtroom as Trump walked out after Carroll's lawyer said the jury should punish him.