Donald Trump appeared at the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City on September 6, 2024, to contest a $5 million verdict in a case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. The former president's legal team is seeking to overturn the May 2023 decision that found him liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll.
The case stems from an alleged incident in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury department store established in 1899. Carroll, who served as an advice columnist for Elle magazine from 1993 to 2019, accused Trump of sexual assault in a dressing room.
John Sauer, Trump's attorney, argued that the case was "a quintessential he said, she said" situation, suggesting Carroll had political motives. Sauer contended that Judge Lewis Kaplan, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, made errors in admitting certain evidence while excluding others.
The appeal primarily focuses on the admission of testimony from two other women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct. Jessica Leeds alleged Trump groped her on a plane in the late 1970s, while Natasha Stoynoff claimed he forcibly kissed her at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, in 2005.
Trump's legal team also objected to the jury viewing the 2005 "Access Hollywood" video, which surfaced in October 2016 during his presidential campaign. The defense argued that this evidence unfairly influenced the jury's decision.
"This case is a textbook example of implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible propensity evidence."
The appeal also challenges the exclusion of evidence suggesting Carroll's political motivations and the involvement of Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn's founder, in funding her case. Hoffman, who co-founded the professional networking site in 2002, has been a vocal critic of Trump.
This appeal is separate from another defamation case where Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million in January 2024. Both cases relate to Trump's denials of Carroll's accusations, including statements made on Truth Social, a platform launched by Trump Media & Technology Group in 2022.
The former president faces multiple legal challenges beyond the Carroll cases. In May 2024, he was convicted in Manhattan state court for falsifying business records related to a hush money payment before the 2016 election. This case, heard in the New York County Supreme Court, part of the state's unified court system, highlights the complex legal landscape Trump navigates.
As the appeals process unfolds, it underscores the intricate balance between free speech and defamation laws in the United States. The case also raises questions about the scope of presidential immunity, which does not extend to actions taken before or after holding office.