WASHINGTON (CNA) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected an appeal by President Trump seeking to overturn a jury's verdict that found him liable for sexually assaulting and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, and ordered him to pay $5 million in damages. According to Agence France-Presse and Reuters, the Supreme Court decided not to hear Trump's appeal. The decision was released along with other rulings and without explanation. A New York jury ruled on May 9, 2023, that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll in a department store in Manhattan around 1996. An appeals court subsequently upheld the verdict and rejected Trump's appeal regarding an unfair trial. Carroll, a former columnist for fashion magazine Elle, has been in a protracted legal battle since 2019 when she publicly accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan around 1996. Trump has denied the allegations, stating that Carroll lied about him during his presidency in 2019 and after he left office in 2022. Trump expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the appeal, calling Carroll's lawsuit a "Fake Case." He posted on social media: "I will continue to fight this politically motivated witch hunt of a case, including the absurd defamation claims. I will use all powers vested in me to fight this. This case is a disgrace to our Country and to our Judicial System, and should never happen to another President or candidate again!" Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, stated that the Supreme Court's decision "finally confirms the unanimous jury verdict" that Trump sexually assaulted and defamed Carroll. The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into Carroll, similar to cases involving other political opponents of Trump. The investigation, which came to light in May, focuses on whether Carroll's testimony in two civil lawsuits accusing Trump constituted perjury. (Compiled by Shih Shih) 1150630 Stand with facts, your every spon