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Former President Donald Trump must pay writer E. Jean Carroll over $83 million in damages for repeatedly defaming her, a jury found Friday.

The nine-person jury began deliberations in federal court in New York at 1:40 p.m. ET and reached a verdict in just under three hours.

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[-] PrinceWith999Enemies@lemmy.world 244 points 9 months ago

Trump's attorney Alina Habba contended that Carroll “had failed to show she is entitled to any damages at all” because she "actively sought the comments and the attention" she received.

Wow. They actually used the “she was asking for it” argument against a victim of sexual assault.

Also, he’s still not going to shut up about it and will land back in court under additional defamation charges.

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 163 points 9 months ago

Not exactly. It's far more insidious (and stupid). Her tact was to show that Carroll already received her financial reward by all the books and news appearances (i.e. the "comments and attention"). Basically, "Sure, she was raped, but look how well she profited from it!"

Too bad that kind of argument is only really relevant to the first trial. This one was punitive damages for failing to shut up after losing the first one, the purpose of which is to punish Trump so he thinks twice about doing it again, not award reparations to Ms. Carroll.

Alina Habba is truly the lawyer Trump deserves.

[-] PrinceWith999Enemies@lemmy.world 41 points 9 months ago

I agree, and my comment was intended as a reference not to the original rape but to the defense saying that she did not deserve any additional compensation due to Trump’s ongoing defamation because she wanted to profit off of it.

If I remember, one of his initial defenses against the allegations of rape was that the woman accusing him was too unattractive to rape, while other defenses were “they just let you do it.” I was thinking about the ironic application of the “asking for it” argument being applied to the additional judgement of defamation.

He’s going to triple down on this though, because he never thinks twice about anything. I don’t know if he is actually playing the game of “never admit to being wrong even when you are” or if he’s simply delusional enough to have reconstructed reality in his own brain, but I’d lay a wager that he’s not going to be able to shut up about this, even now. I don’t think it will even take a reporter triggering him by asking about it. I think it’s just going to pop out in one of his word salad campaign rambles.

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 20 points 9 months ago

I think it’s just going to pop out in one of his word salad campaign rambles.

And I can't wait for that to happen, because I'm sure a third jury will be so pleased (/s) he did it a third time.

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[-] akilou@sh.itjust.works 19 points 9 months ago

Can't wait for someone to ask him about the case at a rally or something. He won't be able to help himself.

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[-] IHeartBadCode@kbin.social 155 points 9 months ago

The sheer speed at which the jury came to this determination is a really good sign that everyone on the jury was like "fuck this dude in particular". Not only that, what I think was hilarious was that Trump's testimony about his valuation in his NY civil trail was submitted and accepted as evidence for the determination on this fine. Like literally some Loony Toons Wile E. Coyote exploding in your face kind of thing.

This was such a massive L for Trump's legal team that I believe the correct lawyer term is HA HA HA HAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HAHA!!

I swear, I'm just waiting for what creative backhoing their graves Trump's team will be doing in the appeals.

What's that saying? "Speech is free. Lies are expensive."

[-] Riccosuave@lemmy.world 71 points 9 months ago

"Speech is free. Lies are expensive."

I'm gonna go ahead and borrow this, and then save it for later.

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[-] Sage_the_Lawyer@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago

I believe the correct lawyer term is HA HA HA HAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HAHA!!

Lawyer here. Can confirm.

[-] SkepticalButOpenMinded@lemmy.ca 24 points 9 months ago

It’s great when lawyers use the old Latin phrase but you can still figure out what it means through context.

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[-] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 94 points 9 months ago

Wow, 3x the money in punitive damage. Imagine how bad it'd be if this country did anything but fine rich people for being evil...

[-] Riccosuave@lemmy.world 70 points 9 months ago

I overshot the damages award in a previous comment I made. I thought it was going to be closer to $150 million, but $83 million is still substantial. Plus there is a strong likelihood E. Jean Carroll and Robbie Kaplan could sue Donald Trump for defamation again for all the things he posted during this trial.

[-] andrew@lemmy.stuart.fun 32 points 9 months ago

I'd just love to see this snowball into an avalanche.

[-] Riccosuave@lemmy.world 44 points 9 months ago

It's already happening. He's probably defaming her on Truth Social right now while OD'ing on McDonald's.

[-] RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com 24 points 9 months ago

He couldn't shut up if his life depended on being quiet. I hope this drains his pockets until there's nothing left.

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[-] admiralteal@kbin.social 36 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Waiting for the SCOTUS to (again) reduce punitive damage limits in order to protect their special boy.

Historically, they HATE punitive civil damages and look for cases to cut them back. That's where the current ~4x limit currently exists, which even in the State Farm decision was clearly flagged as toeing the line.

Just look at how little actual damage Exxon ever paid for the Valdez spill. Or McDonalds for the hot coffee. These punitive damages always have a habit of just evaporating after the headlines. Leaving the victim little better off than before.

[-] Telorand@reddthat.com 37 points 9 months ago

I doubt that will happen. This is round two of defaming her; it's already been established that he raped and defamed her, and it is glaringly obvious that he did it again (even before this verdict). His team will have to first appeal to the New York Court of Appeals, and it's very unlikely that they'll even hear it.

SCOTUS isn't likely to do him a favor but virtue of the highest court in NY not hearing it and this being a very obvious case of repeat offense. They suck right now, and they've made some really awful arguments and rulings, but they haven't exactly been a rubber stamp for Trump or Conservatives, either.

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[-] mercano@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago

It’s a civil case, unfortunately, so jail time was never an option. At the time the incident occurred, there was a five year statute of limitations, so Trump has never been charged criminally in the matter.

[-] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 19 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

There's something truly gross about a civil case being the only recourse for a heinous crime.

[-] Snapz@lemmy.world 87 points 9 months ago

Fucking loser always loses.

He's demonstrably the actual biggest loser in history, and he just got more loser-y folks... If any of you are starting to have your memories fade, here's a quick refresher to read this morning and then copy and send to your aunt karen in Missouri.

  • 0 re-elections won
  • 1 term president
  • 2 times impeached
  • 3 marriages
  • 4 inch lifts in his shoes
  • 5 kids, from 3 different mothers
  • 6 bankruptcies
  • 7 US Capitol police suing him for Jan 6 terrorist insurrection and murder of police
  • 8 trillion + dollars added to the US debt in a single term
  • 9 trump lawyers sanctioned by federal judge for lying in frivolous election fraud lawsuits and ordered to pay defendant's legal fees
  • 10 years that trump paid $0 in income taxes between 2000 and 2015. ($0 to cops, teachers, roads, prisons, disaster relief, etc)
  • 11 trump associates charged with serious crimes over the past 5 years
  • 12 million votes (the big lie) - trump claims he won the 2020 election by 12 million votes when in reality, he lost by about 7 million votes.
  • 13 of August, 2021 - one of multiple days that trump was supposed to magically become president again according to Qanon and a crack addicted pillow salesman (the two most respected information sources in the gop)
  • 14 year old girl in a youth choir that trump approached in 1992 to say, "Wow! Just think - in a couple years I'll be dating you."
  • 15 originally confirmed cases of COVID in the US trump said would soon be, “down to close to zero.” followed by, “like a miracle, it will disappear.” - over 1,000,000 Americans have since died of COVID as it continues to kill years later.
  • 16 years old - age of daughter ivanka when she hosted "miss teen" pageant and, according to long time trump associate Noel Casler, "trump called her over in the middle of a rehearsal and had her give him a lap dance while he leered at the crew."
  • 17 known trump and russia investigations from local, state and federal prosecutors
  • 18 gop senators that ignored trump threats / warnings and supported Biden admin's infrastructure bill.
  • 19 as in COVID19 - trump was verified as the single largest source of disinformation on the virus, with a Cornell study claiming that 38% of the "misinformation conversation" originated with trump
  • 20 the day in January, 2021, when Biden was sworn in despite trump inciting a violent insurrection to stop election verification at the US Capitol.
  • 21 gun salute that trump ordered for himself when he left office after a humiliating defeat, even though he never served in the military, famously called military members "losers" and "suckers" and actively avoided the draft with a cowardly "bone spurs" excuse.
  • 22 date in August, 2021, when Alabama hate rally crowd booed trump for finally saying people should get vaccinated, only after 700,000 Americans have died due mostly to his failure as president
  • 23 as in wrestlemania 23 in 2007 where trump, a cartoon level failure with no other prospects, participated in a fake bet that a proxy wrestler would win a fake fight on his behalf or he would shave his wig and hair plugs off.
  • 24 day in August, 2021, when trump actually filed a lawsuit in Florida court against YouTube, a private company, demanding that they reinstate his YouTube channel like a desperate, irrelevant embarrassment with no platforms left to abuse.
  • 25 plus credible sexual assault allegations against trump, spanning decades and with accusers starting as young as 13 years old at time of assault.
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[-] jordanlund@lemmy.world 66 points 9 months ago

Start the clock... how long until he fucks up this ruling too?

[-] ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one 34 points 9 months ago

Are we using American time with Scaramuccis or British time with Lettuces?

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[-] twistypencil@lemmy.world 50 points 9 months ago

I'd be fine if he keeps doing this and Carroll just bleeds him and his supporters dry and she becomes mega rich

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[-] RedditReject@lemmy.world 45 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

He wouldn't have to pay anything if he could have kept his little anus mouth shut.

I give it less than a day before he defames her again.

[-] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 27 points 9 months ago

He probably already has, but I refuse to go to his sewer of a Twitter clone to see.

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[-] ansiz@lemmy.world 40 points 9 months ago

It's complete insanity that neither party is using this case against Trump during the primaries. Especially Haley, it's a gift wrapped opportunity for her to score points on Trump and she completely ignores it. Her campaign was a lost cause from the start but none of the Republican candidates have acted like they are even trying.

[-] 0110010001100010@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago

Erm, Haley is using this for her campaign:

“Donald Trump wants to be the presumptive Republican nominee and we’re talking about $83 million in damages. We’re not talking about fixing the border. We’re not talking about tackling inflation,” Haley said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “America can do better than Donald Trump and Joe Biden.”

Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4432630-haley-trump-defamation-verdict-america-can-do-better/

[-] RGB3x3@lemmy.world 31 points 9 months ago

She's not wrong that we can do better.

She's just wrong in assuming she is better.

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[-] set_secret@lemmy.world 37 points 9 months ago

Honestly though, has trump ever paid anyone anything, like ever??

[-] Zerlyna@lemmy.world 34 points 9 months ago

(In Nelson’s voice) “HA-HA!”

[-] TheJims@lemmy.world 31 points 9 months ago

God sent Trump… to rape women and harass them relentlessly while encouraging others to threaten their lives. God be praised. Praise be to the rapist messiah.

[-] Yerbouti@lemmy.ml 30 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I hope this goes on forever: he keeps defaming, she keeps sueing. Cause we all know this fat turd wont keep his mouth shut.

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[-] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 29 points 9 months ago

He'll pay as much as Alex Jones has. Jack shit. Unless the court can forcibly remove the funds from their accounts or put them in prison until they pay, these fucks will do nothing.

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[-] TokenBoomer@lemmy.world 28 points 9 months ago

So, we getting new Trump NFT cards? I need to complete the set.

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[-] jballs@sh.itjust.works 28 points 9 months ago
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[-] BoxerDevil@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago

Can we start a pool on when/if he actually pays?

[-] FlowVoid@lemmy.world 53 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

He already paid the previous $5 million. Technically it's in an escrow pending appeal, so Carroll doesn't have it yet. But regardless, Trump is out $5 million.

Now Trump has four choices:

  1. Pay the $83 million to Carroll

  2. File an appeal, which means either paying $83 million into an escrow account or putting a lien on his properties and getting a bank to pay $83 million into an escrow account. Either way, Carroll gets the money as soon as she wins the appeal

  3. Do nothing. This is the worst option, because after 30 days Carroll's lawyers would start choosing Trump properties to auction off and/or directly withdrawing money from his bank accounts.

  4. Declare bankruptcy. This could introduce a delay, but it will inevitably result in Trump properties being auctioned off.

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[-] morphballganon@lemmy.world 24 points 9 months ago

That's 41.5 presidential pardons

[-] kingshrubb@lemmy.world 24 points 9 months ago

People in this thread saying he's not going to pay. How can he just not pay if it's a court order? Genuinely curious how that works. (Assuming the appeal is denied or whatever the final number he owes is).

[-] MimicJar@lemmy.world 46 points 9 months ago

Someone can probably give a better answer, but it starts by him not paying.

He will appeal the result and that could easily take another year or so, during which time he doesn't pay.

Then he will just not pay, that will take some time since you can't complain to the courts that he didn't pay after 1 day, it probably takes at least 90 days, but realistically probably closer to 120 or 150 days so that he is REALLY overdue.

Then he is given a grace period to respond, that's another 30 to 60 days. He'll just say that he can't. That goes back and forth for a while, at least 6 months total.

Eventually the courts might put some sort of lien on Trump's income except he doesn't make money the traditional way, so it won't pay out. That takes another 6 months or so.

Then maybe they start going after assets. Assets aren't just free, so that takes even more time.

Also during all of this Trump moves assets around. He isn't allowed to, but he's already not allowed to and he has.

At some point in this process an agreement for a settlement is brought up. Trump will offer pennies on the dollar, which no one will accept. Trump will use this to bide even more time.

It's neverending legal maneuvering. Just bullshit on bullshit on bullshit. Eventually someone gives up or dies. It takes tens of tens of years. At any point Trump can just start to pay a little bit of it, then stop after a few months and the process starts again.

BTW if you don't pay your bills the full fury comes down on you. No baby gloves.

[-] baru@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago

He will appeal the result and that could easily take another year or so, during which time he doesn't pay.

To appeal he will have to put the amount ik escrow. Which negates a few of the statements you've made. Though completely agree that Trump usually goes for delay, delay, delay.

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[-] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 20 points 9 months ago

No surprise this being the result, it will be very hard to find anyone in NYC that would go easy on the person known for decades as the city's biggest douchebag.

[-] zcd@lemmy.ca 18 points 9 months ago

LO fucking L

[-] Tristaniopsis@aussie.zone 18 points 9 months ago

Badda Bing, Badda Boom.

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this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2024
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