The New York Court of Appeal upheld this conviction on Monday, finding that the Republican billionaire had not demonstrated any errors in the judgment rendered at first instance.
A case that dates back to the 1990s
The case originated in accusations made by Elizabeth Jean Carrollnow aged 81. In a book published in 2019, the author claimed that Donald Trump had sexually assaulted her in a fitting room of a New York department store in 1996. If she had qualified the facts as “rape”, the federal civil court in Manhattan retained in May 2023 a classification ofsexual assault.
In addition to this attack, Donald Trump, years later, attacked Elizabeth Jean Carroll several times in the media, calling her “crazy” and claiming that she had set up a “phony affair”. These statements earned him a conviction for defamationfor which he will also have to pay damages.
The verdict on appeal: a conviction confirmed
On May 9, 2023, a first verdict condemned Donald Trump to pay 5 million dollarsdont 2 million for sexual assaultet 3 million for defamation. On Monday, the New York appeals court upheld the ruling, saying Trump had not provided sufficient evidence to challenge the court's decisions.
In another separate but related case, Elizabeth Jean Carroll had obtained, last January, $83.3 million for other defamatory statements by Donald Trump. This verdict is also under appeal.
Legal disputes which continue to weigh
Since his re-election to the presidency on last November 5Donald Trump's legal horizon has largely cleared, notably with the abandonment of several federal criminal proceedings, including those linked to his actions after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. However, the former president remains confronted to significant civil convictions, particularly in the Carroll affair and in other cases involving his company, the Trump Organization.
A historic criminal conviction
At the same time, Donald Trump became in May 2023 the first former American president to be criminally convicted. This conviction concerns hidden payments made to a porn star, Stormy Danielsbefore the 2016 presidential election. These payments were intended to conceal an alleged extramarital relationship. Despite his attempt to overturn the verdict by invoking his immunity as a former president, the judges confirmed his guilt, although the sentence remains pending for the moment.
A return to the White House under tension
As he prepares to become the 47th President of the United StatesDonald Trump enters his mandate with considerable legal liabilities. These affairs, although they did not prevent his return to power, could still tarnish his image and influence his political decisions. It remains to be seen how the future president will manage these civil convictions and their possible consequences on his mandate.
