Trump-Carroll Case Gets Clarification By Judge: It Was Rape

On Tuesday, a judge clarified that the sexual abuse Donald Trump was found liable for in the case involving E. Jean Carroll was indeed rape, as commonly understood, despite the jury’s decision to label it as sexual abuse.

What Happened: Trump’s legal team had argued that the jury’s verdict in the civil suit, which resulted in a $5 million fine against Trump, was excessive as it was based on a charge of sexual abuse, which they claimed could be as limited as the “groping” of a victim’s breasts.

However, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan rejected this argument, stating that the jury’s finding of sexual abuse implies that Trump forcibly digitally penetrated Carroll, which aligns with a more common definition of rape, The Washington Post reports.

See Also: Trump’s Team Pushes For Cash Payment Instead Of Bond To Save $55,500 In Jean Carroll Verdict

Why It Matters: This clarification comes after Carroll was awarded $5 million in a rape defamation trial against Trump, where the jury found the former president liable for sexual assault but stopped short of labeling the offense as rape.

Carroll had accused Trump of raping her in a Manhattan department store’s dressing room in the mid-1990s, as reported by Benzinga.

This case is part of a series of legal troubles for Trump, who is also facing a second defamation lawsuit from Carroll, as noted by Benzinga.

Trump’s legal team is seeking a new trial and continues to appeal the verdict.

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