Jury holds Trump liable for battery, defamation in E. Jean Carroll case

A jury held former President Donald Trump liable for battery and defamation after hearing arguments in a civil trial brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who said Trump raped her in a department store during the 1990s.

Trump's conduct was specifically determined to have been sexual abuse. The jury awarded roughly $2 million in damages to Carroll for the battery count, according to CNN. Carroll will also receive $3 million for the defamation count.

The trial concluded last week and the jury returned its verdict on Monday. The case was made possible by a New York law that created a temporary legal window for alleged victims to sue their assailants for damages beyond the normal statute of limitations.

The civil nature of the case means Trump never faced jail time nor the prospect of forcible registration as a sex offender.

The former president's legal team did not call any witnesses during the trial. Health complications prevented the defense's expert witness, psychiatrist Edgar Nace, from appearing.

In early May, Judge Lewis Kaplan denied the Trump legal team's bid for a mistrial. Trump attorney Joe Tacopina had argued that Kaplan had a history of "pervasive unfair and prejudicial rulings" against his client.

It remains unclear how the verdict will impact the former president's electoral prospects as he seeks the Republican nomination for president in 2024.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.