Trump lawyers request new trial in E Jean Carroll sexual abuse case

Attorneys, in Manhattan federal court filing, say award of $5m in damages for sexual abuse and defamation was excessive

Donald Trump on Thursday asked for a new trial in a civil case brought by writer E Jean Carroll, in which a jury last month found the former US president liable for sexually abusing and defaming the writer and awarded her $5m in damages.

In a filing in Manhattan federal court, Trump’s lawyers said the jury’s $2m award for the sexual abuse portion of the verdict was “excessive” because the jury had found that Carroll was not raped, and that the conduct Carroll alleged did not cause any diagnosed mental injury.