Donald Trump civil trial verdict: can the former president go to prison?

E Jean Carroll won her civil lawsuit against Donald Trump on Tuesday. The columnist has been awarded $5 million in damages, $2 million for the sexual abuse allegations and $3 million for defamation, though the nine-person jury did not find Trump liable for rape.

I’m not settling a political score,” Carroll told the jury. “I’m settling a personal score.”

Former president Trump has the unenviable accolade of the being the first US president to be described as a sexual predator. However, due to this case being civil litigation he cannot face jail time.

The defeat for Trump continues his long-standing legal problems that could dog his presidential charge. Other charges include falsifying business records, falsifying the result of the 2020 election in Georgia, and the holding of secret documents in his Mar-a-Lago compound.

Whether these have any bearing on his chances in a third shot at the White House remains to be seen.

How the trial unfolded

The trial began on Wednesday, 26 April, and the court heard testimony from Carroll on the first day.

The writer provided graphic details of the attack, which Carroll says took place in late 1995 or early 1996. She testified that she ran into Trump in New York City outside of Bergdorf Goodman, and he asked for her help to pick out a gift for a friend. Carroll was asked if she found Trump attractive, and she responded in the affirmative and also noted that she was initially pleased to have bumped into him; she told the court that she thought it would be a fun story, the kind one tells at a dinner party.

“I’m a born advice columnist. I love to give advice, and here was Donald Trump asking me to give advice about buying a present,” she told the court.

The former president, then a real estate mogul, directed her toward the lingerie section and pressured her to try something on. Carroll described the mood as light and jovial. But then, Trump began to take her by the arm towards the dressing room, and she walked through an open door, and he followed her in and locked the door.

During the testimony, the columnist said “it didn’t occur to” her to say no or try to exit the situation. When the two were in the dressing room, Carroll said that Trump “immediately shut the door and shoved me up against the wall.” She recalled banging her head and that it was at that moment that she realized “that what I thought was happening was not happening.” The mood became dark, and realizing that she was much smaller than her Trump, she was unable to stop him from pulling down her tights. He was able to overpower her and went on to rape her.

In tears, she explained the impact the event had on the rest of her life. “It left me unable to ever have a romantic life again,” said the writer, explaining that she felt if she told people that she was raped that they would look at her “as soiled goods.”

Trump did not testify during the trial and his only participation in the trial was his taped disposition.

Further working against his favour, Trump also gave a running commentary of events on his Truth social page decrying Carroll.