Internet divided as jury orders Donald Trump to pay E Jean Carroll $83.3M over defamatory statements

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: A Manhattan jury ordered former President Donald Trump to pay an eye-popping sum of $83.3 million in damages for defaming writer E Jean Carroll in 2019, reported The Hill.

The federal jury of seven men and two women declared the verdict on Friday, January 26, marking the sharpest legal setback for the potential GOP presidential nominee.

The jury ordered Trump to pay the plaintiff $11 million to repair her reputation, $7.3 million in other compensatory damages, and $65 million in punitive damages.

The final testimony of the case took place on January 26 when the former real estate mogul took the stand briefly to testify.

District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over the trial, had previously determined Trump's guilt in defaming Carroll when he rejected her allegations of the former president sexually assaulting her in the 1990s.

This is the second time the Elle Magazine columnist has won damages from Trump. Last year, she was awarded $5 million after the former President was found guilty of sexual abuse and defaming her over a different comment.

Trump walks out before the verdict

Trump, leading the Republican primary polls with two landmark victories in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary, exited the courtroom before the final verdict was read.

According to CNN's live updates from the trial, he left the Manhattan courthouse around 4 pm ET.

Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, responding to his exit, told CNN's Anderson Cooper, "I think it hurt him terribly. I mean, our whole case is about the fact that Donald Trump is unable to follow the law, unable to follow the rules, he thinks they don't apply to him."

Trump later slammed the verdict in a Truth Social post, calling it "absolutely ridiculous." He also stated his decision to appeal the "Biden-directed witch hunt" against him and the Republican Party.

The former President has been splitting the time between the court and his campaign since the trial began on January 16. He had effectively used it as an election weapon in his speeches with remarks directed against Judge Kaplan and numerous Truth Social posts insulting Carroll.

Internet reacts mixedly to the verdict

Netizens are divided after the court ordered Trump to pay a whopping $83.3 million in damages to Carroll.

Some suggested she would never see a dime, while another group called the verdict "unjust." Simultaneously, some also agreed that Carroll deserved it.

One user opined, "She wont see a dime."

Another user remarked, "Soon enough he’ll run out of money…. right?"

"That’s a ridiculous award and that woman will never see a cent of it," another response read. While one user said, "Should have been more."

One user added, "This seems fair and legitimate." Another user contradicted, saying, "Supreme Court will overrule."

"She deserves all of it after what he put her through," read a remark. On the other hand, one user called the ruling "terribly unjust and unfair."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.