A jury in New York has found former US President Donald Trump liable for sexual abuse. The jurors said he battered and defamed magazine writer E. Jean Carroll. They awarded her 5 million dollars in damages.
Carroll accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s in a department store dressing room. She testified during the civil trial that he defamed her when he called her accusations a "hoax."
Members of the jury said she did not provide enough proof that Trump had raped her. But they found him liable for a less serious charge, forcible touching.
Carroll is one of more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. She said in a statement that "the world finally knows the truth."
Trump responded on his social media site, calling the verdict a "disgrace." He wrote that this is a "continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time." The judgment could haunt him as he campaigns to return to the White House. His lawyer said he will appeal the verdict.