Aiexpress – E. Jean Carroll’s lawyers have requested a federal judge to reject former President Donald Trump’s efforts to evade responsibility for the $83.3 million jury verdict against him. They argue that he should be compelled to either pay the amount or secure a bond while he appeals the case.
In January, a jury determined that Trump must pay Carroll $83.3 million as a result of defaming her when he publicly dismissed her allegations of sexual abuse as lies. Recently, Trump’s legal team requested an “unsecured stay,” which would grant them the ability to further contest the case through post-trial motions and appeals without immediately providing compensation to Carroll.
Carroll’s legal team dismissed the request as a mere “paper napkin” filing and expressed their skepticism about Trump’s assurance of eventual payment. Meanwhile, Trump is facing financial difficulties in settling a separate $454 million judgment related to the civil fraud case brought against his company by the New York attorney general. Trump is currently appealing this judgment as well.
According to Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, in a recent filing, he fails to acknowledge the current risks associated with his financial situation. These risks include a half billion-dollar judgment from the New York Attorney General and 91 felony charges that could potentially ruin his career as a businessman. Instead of addressing these concerns, Carroll simply asks the court to trust him. Kaplan describes his court filing as the equivalent of a paper napkin, signed by someone who is considered untrustworthy in matters of borrowing, especially in a case where there is already an $83.3 million judgment against him.
In May 2023, a different jury determined that Trump had sexually abused and defamed Carroll, leading to an award of $5 million in damages. Following this verdict, Trump placed the funds in an account controlled by the court as he pursued the appeals process. Should he be unsuccessful in his appeals, the money would then be awarded to Carroll.
Trump has the option to secure a bond, where he can offer assets as collateral to guarantee that a third-party company will cover the judgment.
In his bid for the 2024 presidential election, Trump is facing a financial strain and is determined to maintain his appeal while holding onto his money. Recently, his legal team made a plea to a New York state appeals court to approve a $100 million bond in his civil fraud case. However, the appellate judge rejected this request.
According to Kaplan, it is imperative for Trump to provide a comprehensive disclosure of his financial resources, especially considering the evidence presented during his company’s civil fraud trial, which revealed his propensity for dishonesty regarding his financial matters.
According to Kaplan, there is a lack of evidence regarding the assets owned by the individual in question. The individual fails to provide any proof of the assets’ value, location, liquidity, whether they are burdened with debt, or if they could be used to fulfill the judgment. Furthermore, there is no evidence presented regarding any other debts the individual may currently owe or could potentially owe in the future.
According to Kaplan, it is not reliable to trust Trump’s claim that he will pay the money, considering the legal challenges he faces, including a criminal trial in New York next month.
As of now, there has been no response from Trump’s lawyers regarding the motion filed on Thursday.
In his ruling, Kaplan pointed out that there is no evidence provided to support the claim that these assets can be easily collected and will remain so during the duration of the appeal. Additionally, there is no mention of how various ongoing events in his life, such as the criminal proceedings and his election campaign, could potentially impact these matters.
