Trump ordered to pay staggering $83.3 million in damages for defaming sex accuser E. Jean Carroll after New York jury deliberated for less than three hours in blockbuster civil trial

Donald Trump has been ordered by a jury to pay E. Jean Carroll a colossal $83.3 million for defamation after he publicly denied sexually abusing her in a department store dressing room in 1996.

The staggering amount was three times what even Carroll's own lawyers had asked for and was immediately lambasted by Trump as 'absolutely ridiculous'. He vowed to appeal.

Trump had already left the courtroom and was on his plane when the stunning verdict was returned,

Jurors at the court deliberated for less than three hours following a two-week civil trial in which the former president testified for just three minutes.

The case centered on comments Trump made about Carroll after she accused him of attacking her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman store in New York.

Trump, 77, insists he has never met Carroll, has consistently said she wasn't his type, and has described the court case as a 'witch hunt' and 'election interference'.  

But the jury ordered him to hand over $7.3 million for 'emotional harm' and $11 million for 'reputational damages.'

He was also ordered to pay a whopping $65 million for 'punitive damages'.

Carroll and her attorneys wiped away tears of joy and hugged each other as they left the courtroom arm-in-arm. 

Outside, she was mobbed by media but did not stop for interviews, instead smiling and waving as she climbed into a black SUV and left.

Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner, reacted on Truth Social slamming the verdict as 'absolutely ridiculous!' and vowed to appeal the decision. 

He went on to label the verdict as part of the 'Biden Directed Witch Hunt' and called the U.S. legal system 'out of control' and being used as a 'political weapon' to target him. 

'They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!'

Trump's total liquid assets were estimated to be at $93 million total in 2020, according to documents obtained by New York Attorney General Letitia James who is separately investigating the Trump Organizations finances - and he could be on the hook for millions more.

Trump's attorneys were slumped over in discussion as the verdict was read. 

His attorney Alina Habba said she is 'so proud to stand with President Trump,' despite the outcome. 

'Don't get it twisted,' Habba said passionately, 'we are seeing a violation of our justice system ladies and gentlemen.'

Judge Kaplan advised jurors to remain anonymous before dismissing them, saying 'my advice to you is that you never disclose you were on this jury.' 

Earlier Friday, the Manhattan courtroom erupted in chaos earlier when Trump walked out after Carroll's lawyer said the jury should punish him.

Trump looked uninterested as the judge read out his instructions to the jury and at one point looked to be slumped in his chair as he looked up to the sky. 

Closing arguments on Friday were filled with drama, with Judge Lewis Kaplan threatening to 'lock up' Trump's attorney Alina Habba for her outbursts. 

After Trump left senior U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said: 'The record will reflect that Mr. Trump just rose and walked out of the courtroom.' 

The former president returned to the courtroom more than an hour later and retook his seat to listen to Habba's closing argument. Evidence concluded shortly before lunchtime, with jurors then sent out to consider the case. 

Trump appeared disinterested as Judge Kaplan read instructions to jurors - and at one point even appeared slumped in his chair and looking up at the ceiling.  

His decision to walk out followed a blockbuster back-and-forth in which Habba and Judge Kaplan locked horns. 

'You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup,' the judge warned Habba. 'Sit down'.

He later told Habba: 'You will not quarrel with me.' 

Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan said Trump should pay her client 'dearly' for defaming her.

A civil jury last year found Trump liable for sexual abuse after Carroll, 80, claimed he attacked her in the mid-1990s in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan.

He has since continued to vociferously deny having met Carroll. Her lawyers have accused Trump of unleashing a 'storm of hate' against her.

Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to Judge Kaplan, asked for $12 million for damages to her client's reputation, another $12 million for the emotional harm caused, and more in punitive damages.  

She told the court: 'It will take an unusually high punitive damages award to stop Donald Trump. The one thing that Donald Trump cares about is money.

'Now is the time to make him pay for it, and now is the time to make him pay dearly.' 

'The sexual assault happened - and Donald Trump's denials and viscous accusations against her were all complete lies,' she said.

The tense exchange between the judge and Habba was sparked by Trump's lawyer trying to introduce a slide show of tweets that had not been entered into evidence.

'You are not going to use a slide to represent how many tweets there were, you are not using that slide, period,' Judge Kaplan said.  

Roberta Kaplan showed the jury social media messages in which her client had been threatened.

She said: 'Imagine knowing all of these people hate you. All of them want you to be raped or killed.'

Habba, for Trump, responded: 'President Trump has no more control over the thoughts and feelings of social media users than he does the weather.'

She added: 'Ladies and gentleman, I received three this week alone. That's me on a good day.'

Judge Kaplan called that comment 'inappropriate' and told the jury to ignore it.

Habba later added: 'Ladies and gentlemen, this isn't about President Trump and E. Jean Carroll, this is about some people in their mothers' basements who will always be mean on social media, you can't stop that.' 

While the case was going on Trump posted an extensive tirade on his Truth Social network, claiming he was being 'extorted,' that the proceedings were 'unAmerican' and the incident at the department store never happened.

He wrote: 'I am the only one who has been injured by this attempted EXTORTION. 

'I have been considered an A-List celebrity for many decades...it would have been impossible for me to walk into a crowded department store (surrounded by buildings I own), right opposite the cashiers' checkout desk, without being written about on Page Six, and every other outlet at the time.'

Earlier, Trump had waved to fans as he headed to court on Friday morning before the dramatic start to the hearing.

He left Trump Tower with Habba after the defense rested their case against Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist who accuses him of attacking her in a department store in the 1990s.

It followed a dramatic Thursday in court where Trump dramatically took the witness stand and testified for just three minutes.

Trump is potentially facing millions of dollar in damages for defaming Carroll by claiming he never met her when she accused him of sexual assault. 

From the stand on Thursday Trump told the civil jury he wanted to defend himself and 'the presidency' by calling out accusations that were 'totally false'.

Before giving evidence he was rebuked by the judge for speaking too loudly from his seat, and the judge then repeatedly cut him off during his testimony, making him stick to yes or no answers.

As he left court on Thursday Trump looked back at the packed courtroom, shook his head, and said: 'This is not America. Not America. This is not America.'