Carroll's lawyer disclosed Trump's threat of filing a lawsuit
against Carroll or seeking sanctions in a letter to the judge
E.
Jean Carroll, who recently secured a $5 million damages award from former
President Donald J. Trump, is now pushing for additional financial
compensation in response to Trump's derogatory remarks on a CNN program just
one day after the verdict.
Carroll aims to amplify the financial repercussions for Trump
through a filing submitted to the Manhattan federal court on Monday. The civil
jury had found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation on May 9, ordering
him to pay Carroll $2 million for sexual abuse and $3 million for
defamation.
The latest filing is part of a separate defamation
lawsuit initiated by Carroll in 2019 against Trump, overseen by the same judge
who presided over the civil trial. Stemming from Trump's comments in the same
year, when Carroll accused him of raping her in a Manhattan department store
dressing room in the mid-1990s, the older case had been delayed due to appeals
but remains pending.
Carroll's lawyer, Roberta A. Kaplan, disclosed Trump's threat of
filing a lawsuit against Carroll or seeking sanctions in a letter to the
judge. Trump, currently campaigning for a return to the presidency, reiterated
his denial of the incident on CNN, dismissing Carroll's account as a "fake"
and "made-up story." Despite photographic evidence of their acquaintance, he
maintained that he had never met Carroll, disparaging her as a "wack job" and
undermining the credibility of the civil trial as a "rigged deal."
The
court filing asserts that Trump's defamatory statements after the May 9
verdict exemplify his deep-seated malice towards Carroll, displaying a level
of animosity and spite that warrants significant punitive damages. The aim is
not only to punish Trump but also to deter him from further defamatory acts
while setting an example for others.
Trump, in his ongoing fight against the jury's decision, has
already filed a notice of appeal. Carroll's attorney, Kaplan, stressed the
significance of pursuing the pending defamation lawsuit in light of Trump's
CNN remarks, emphasising that the repetition of defamatory statements
undermines the integrity of the justice system.
Carroll's filing on
Monday seeks permission from Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to amend her 2019
defamation lawsuit to incorporate the jury's verdict against Trump, as well as
his CNN statements and comments on his Truth Social platform. These additions
are vital to accurately reflect the impact of Trump's repeated defamatory
rhetoric.
In a recent interview, Carroll expressed her disgust at Trump's
CNN comments, describing them as vile and hurtful. She emphasized the
importance of holding him accountable and preserving the integrity of the
jury's verdict.
As the legal battle escalates, Carroll's pursuit of
increased damages underscores her determination to address the harm caused by
Trump's defamatory behavior. The outcome of this ongoing legal dispute will
have far-reaching implications, shaping the discourse surrounding
accountability and justice.
