Kathmandu— The United States Supreme Court has, for a second time, denied former President Donald Trump’s appeal regarding a 2023 civil suit brought by writer E Jean Carroll. The case stemmed from allegations that Trump sexually abused Carroll in 1996 and subsequent defamatory statements he made about her; the court's decision effectively finalizes the $5 million verdict against him, plus accrued interest totaling approximately $5.8 million. The denial came as part of a larger list of rejected appeals released by the court on Monday, marking another legal defeat for Trump in this ongoing dispute.

Finality of the Verdict

Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, expressed satisfaction with the Supreme Court's decision. “We are pleased that the United States Supreme Court has declined again to hear this case,” she said in a statement. “As a result, the jury’s unanimous verdict that Donald Trump sexually assaulted and then defamed E Jean Carroll is now final and cannot be challenged in any court.” The order from the court provided no explanation for its decision, consistent with typical practice during recesses when handling rehearing requests.

Background of the Legal Battles

The legal conflict between Trump and Carroll began in 2019, after Carroll published an excerpt from her memoir detailing an alleged sexual assault by Trump in a Manhattan department store in 1996. Trump vehemently denied the allegations, publicly disparaging Carroll with statements she deemed defamatory. This led to two separate defamation suits; one resulted in an $83.3 million judgement against Trump earlier this year, and is also currently under appeal.

Details of the $5 Million Ruling

The specific case addressed by this Supreme Court decision concerned Trump’s statements made in 2022, where he labeled Carroll's claims a “hoax” and a “con job” on social media. A jury found these statements to be defamatory, leading to the initial $5 million verdict. Following the first denial of his appeal in June, Carroll successfully collected the judgement along with accrued interest.

Ongoing Appeals

Trump is currently appealing the larger $83.3 million judgement as well, arguing that presidential immunity should shield him from liability for statements made while he was in office. The Supreme Court has yet to rule on this separate appeal.

With the latest ruling, the initial $5 million verdict and associated damages are now considered final, though Trump continues to pursue appeals regarding the larger financial judgement.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.