This is what the judge said

Carroll's accusation against Trump was more severe than the accusations made by other women. Regarding the jury verdict, the judge asked the jury to find if the preponderance of the evidence suggested that Trump raped Carroll under New York's narrow legal definition of rape at that time, denoting forcible penetration with the penis, as alleged by the plaintiff;[d] the jury did not find Trump liable for rape and instead found him liable for a lesser degree of sexual abuse. In July 2023, Judge Kaplan said that the verdict found that Trump had raped Carroll according to the common definition of the word, i.e. not necessarily implying penile penetration.[e] In August 2023, Kaplan dismissed a countersuit and wrote that Carroll's accusation of rape is "substantially true".

I know the differences in the two cases, I have not looked into the Bragg stuff at all, I simply don't have time to dive deeply into this stuff unless there was a debate to be had and a bit of fun.

I am certain of his character based on his actions, pattern recognition and accumulated information. The man is a conman, narc who clearly abuses his power and has admitted as much.


I would imagine the judge has more knowledge on the case than either of us and unless you were biased, one would have to accept the outcome and veracity of the suit.

Key elements of the case: In the 2023 civil trial (Carroll II), a federal jury in New York found Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in late 1995 or early 1996 (specifically, forcible digital penetration, which met the civil standard for sexual abuse but not the narrow New York Penal Law definition of "rape" requiring penile penetration). The jury also found him liable for defaming her in 2022 statements. It awarded $5 million. A follow-on 2024 defamation trial added $83.3 million.
The case was civil (preponderance of the evidence, ~51% standard), not criminal. Trump did not attend the first trial or testify live. Appeals have largely upheld the verdicts so far, though Trump has petitioned the Supreme Court.
Critics (including Trump's legal team and supporters) have raised several substantive issues with the case's fairness, evidence, and process. Here are the main ones, grounded in public records:
1. Extreme Delay and Statute of Limitations Revival

The alleged incident occurred ~27–28 years before the battery claim was filed. No contemporaneous police report, physical evidence, or medical exam existed.
Carroll filed her initial defamation suit in 2019 (after publicizing the claim in a book excerpt). The battery claim came in late 2022 under New York's Adult Survivors Act (ASA), a one-year lookback window specifically reviving time-barred adult sexual assault civil claims.
Critics argue this retroactive revival raises due process concerns for the defendant, especially for decades-old claims reliant on faded memories. Trump challenged the ASA's constitutionality. Similar lookback laws have faced scrutiny elsewhere for fairness to defendants.

2. Lack of Corroborating Physical or Eyewitness Evidence

No DNA, forensics, or video: Carroll claimed she had a dress from the incident but declined or did not pursue DNA testing that could have provided definitive evidence (or exoneration). Critics highlight this as a missed opportunity that tainted credibility, especially given her public references to the dress.
No eyewitnesses to the alleged assault in a busy Manhattan department store.
Evidence for the encounter itself was primarily Carroll's testimony, plus two friends she says she told shortly afterward (hearsay, but admitted). A photo of Carroll and Trump from 1987 was shown, but it predated the incident.
In a "he said/she said" with a decades-long gap, this leaves heavy reliance on credibility assessments rather than hard proof.

3. Evidentiary Rulings Favoring the Plaintiff

"Other acts" testimony: The court admitted testimony from two other women (Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff) alleging similar misconduct by Trump years earlier or later. This was allowed under Federal Rule of Evidence 415 in sexual assault civil cases, which has a low bar and no strict time limit. Critics argue it was highly prejudicial propensity evidence (i.e., "he's done it before, so he did it here") that overwhelmed the specific claim, especially given the time gaps. Trump’s team has appealed this as conflicting with Rule 403 balancing.
Access Hollywood tape (2005): Played for the jury, in which Trump made vulgar comments about women ("grab them by the pussy"). Admitted as relevant to pattern/credibility, but critics call it a 10-year-old hot-mic statement unrelated to the 1990s incident and inflammatory.
Restrictions on defense evidence: Trump argued the court limited rebuttal, including on inconsistencies in Carroll's account or her motivations.

4. Credibility and Motive Issues with Carroll's Account

Carroll could not pinpoint the exact date (only mid-1990s window). Details evolved or faced challenges (e.g., on the dress, location specifics).
She came forward publicly in 2019 during #MeToo and while promoting a book. Critics view the timing as opportunistic/political, especially given her opposition to Trump. Trump called it a "hoax" and said she was "not his type."
The jury rejected the rape claim (penile penetration) but accepted sexual abuse. Some see this as inconsistency in her core story; others see it as jurors splitting hairs on legal definitions.
Funding and contingency aspects of her legal team have been scrutinized by critics.

5. Venue, Judge, and Jury Context

Trial in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan), a heavily Democratic area. Trump argued bias in venue and rulings by Judge Lewis Kaplan.
Trump's deposition clips (e.g., denying knowing Carroll while mixing up her photo with Marla Maples, comments on "his type") were damaging and played to the jury.

Counterpoints and Context
The jury (unanimous after short deliberation) found Carroll met the preponderance standard, crediting her testimony and pattern evidence over Trump's denials. Courts have rejected many of Trump's challenges on appeal. Many other women have accused Trump of similar misconduct, which his defenders dismiss as coordinated or unproven. Trump has consistently denied all such claims and often attacked the accusers' appearances or motives.
Bottom line: Legally, the verdicts stand as a civil finding under relaxed standards and specific evidentiary rules for sexual assault cases. Substantively, legitimate flaws exist around the extreme delay, absence of physical proof, heavy use of propensity evidence from unrelated acts, and a specially tailored statute reviving old claims against a political opponent. These raise reasonable doubts about reliability and fairness for skeptics, even if they satisfied the jury and appellate courts. The case turned more on credibility and pattern than forensic proof. Ongoing Supreme Court review may address some procedural issues.

Same old talking points used to start the Iraq war and we all know how that turned out.  Well, apparently not.

I need to see HQ photos of his blowjob expert female chef first, so I can judge the situation correctly

Came out today that they offered the guy a million bucks to go away. He wanted $11.5 and said no.

Still think there’s nothing there?