CBS News
E. Jean Carroll on jury’s $83 million Trump ruling: “They said ‘enough'”
E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused former President Donald Trump of sexual assault and was awarded $83.3 million in damages on Friday for defamatory statements, says she believes the jury was sending a message with their verdict.
“I think they said ‘enough,'” Carroll said in an interview on “CBS Mornings” on Monday. “Enough saying horrible, slimy, terrible things about me.”
Trump has vowed to appeal the decision by a federal jury in New York, which awarded Carroll $65 million in punitive damages and $18.3 million in compensatory damages for defamatory statements made after Carroll accused Trump in 2019 of sexually assaulting her in a department store dressing room decades earlier. When Trump denied the allegations, calling her a “whack job ” and claiming they had never met, Carroll sued him.
Carroll’s attorneys argued that Trump’s comments subjected her to threats and ruined her reputation. A jury found the former president liable for defamation and sexual abuse in the first lawsuit last year. On Friday, the jury in the second trial was tasked with deciding what damages Carroll would receive.
“Who can conceive of $83 million?” Carroll said of the amount she was awarded.
“It’s inspiring, this amount of money. We can do really a lot of good with this money,” she said.
Michael M Santiago/GettyImages / Getty Images
Carroll described how “terrifying” it was as she anticipated seeing Trump in the courtroom, noting that she “lost language and had a breakdown” as she prepared for the moment. But when she saw him, that all changed.
“It turns out, he’s nothing. The fear lifted,” Carroll said. “He’s just… he’s nothing. I was terrified all this time. He is nothing.”
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, said Trump’s continued behavior throughout the trial, both in the courtroom and through posts on social media, likely contributed to the jury’s ruling.
“He misbehaved in the courtroom frequently and he walked out on my closing arguments,” Kaplan noted, “…During the trial he continued to post nasty, defamatory things about E. Jean on Truth Social, he did videos, he did press conferences, and we played that all for the jury. And we said, ‘He can’t respect our system. There was a verdict by a jury that said he can’t do this anymore, and he keeps doing it.'”
And though Trump has so far avoided making comments about her after the latest ruling, Carroll indicated she doesn’t expect the former president’s behavior will stop.
“If Donald Trump needs to use me again to raise campaign funds, I think he will do it,” Carroll said. “He’s just using us. And if he needs us, he will again.”
CBS News
Tropical Storm Milton forms in Gulf; forecast to strengthen into hurricane headed toward Florida
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane headed toward Florida with possible impacts to its western coast, the National Hurricane Center said on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are expected to be at 40 mph with higher gusts and Milton is currently moving north-northeast, NHC said in an advisory.
Milton is forecast to undergo a period of rapid intensification before it makes landfall as a Category 2 hurricane across Florida’s west coast, CBS News Miami reported.
The forecast comes a little more than a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and across the Southeast, killing more than 200 people and causing immense destruction. President Biden on Thursday took an aerial tour of Florida’s Big Bend where Helene struck as a Category 4 storm. Hundreds of people are still missing and Mr. Biden said the work to rebuild will cost “billions of dollars” as communities suffer still without power, running water and passable roads.
NOAA
Milton is forecast to move across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night then across the south-central Gulf on Monday and Tuesday before reaching Florida’s west coast by the middle of the week, NHC said. Heavy rain is possible in the region starting Sunday into Monday, CBS Miami reported, and more rain and heavy winds will most likely arrive on Wednesday. Hurricane and storm surge watches will most likely be required for portions of Florida starting Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Along with the heavy rainfall, the hurricane center said to expect risks of flooding.
Residents in the area should ensure they have a hurricane plan in place, the National Hurricane Center said, follow the advice of local officials and check back for forecast updates.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
A new Barbie has joined Mattel’s lineup of inclusive dolls. The first “Diwali doll” was announced by the toymaker on Friday, a few weeks shy of the Hindu holiday of Diwali, also known as the festival of lights.
The festival, which lasts for five days, is marked on Western calendars to begin on Nov. 1, but some celebrations start on Oct. 31.
The doll, created in collaboration with fashion designer Anita Dongre, features traditional elements including the lehenga skirt, floral print and golden shoes, according to Mattel’s website. The doll is available at major retailers for $40.
“The look is infused with beauty and symbolism to rejoice in victory of light over darkness with contemporary silhouettes,” the description reads for the Diwali doll.
Lalit Agarwal, country manager for Mattel India, said in a news release that through the Diwali doll, the brand is hoping to showcase “India’s vibrant cultural heritage on a global stage while continuing to celebrate the power and beauty of diversity.”
Earlier this year, Mattel announced the first-ever blind Barbie doll and a Black Barbie with Down syndrome.
In addition, to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 and Barbie’s 65th birthday on March 9, the doll brand announced it was adding new dolls to its Role Models collection, based on real-life singers and actresses from around the world. They’re not for sale – a one-of-a-kind doll was made for each of the honored women.
The dolls are meant to introduce “girls to remarkable women’s stories to show them you can be anything,” according to Mattel.
