From New York Times, I'm Michael Barrow. This is Adali.

Today, a jury in Manhattan has found former president Donald Trump legally liable for sexually

abusing and defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll and has ordered him to pay her millions of

dollars in damages. My colleague Ben Weiser tells the story of how a newly 30-year-old allegation

reached this moment.

It's Wednesday, May 10th.

Then, good evening. I know it's late. It's 8-10 pm, so thank you for making time for us.

Of course, Michael. Can you just describe where exactly you are?

Yes, Michael. I am presently in the press room of the Federal Courthouse, the Southern District of New York, in Lower Manhattan,

where we just finished covering a major trial. The trial over the lawsuit, thought by E. Jean Carroll,

who had sued Donald Trump, accusing him of rape.

I want to get to that case, that trial, and ultimately to the verdict and what it means.

I want to start with Ben the unexpected and in a lot of ways, improbable legal journey that brought E. Jean Carroll's case to this point.

Tell us that story.

This case stemmed from an incident that occurred in the mid 1990s when E. Jean Carroll,

a prominent advice columnist for Elle magazine in New York, said that she had a chance and counter with Donald Trump.

Thank you for your trust. I think it's really important.

Right. And of course, our colleague Megan, too, we actually interviewed E. Jean Carroll about this allegation for an episode of the Daily that ran back in 2019.

That's right. Can you walk us through what happened this particular day? You had been at the studio, where you and Carol were?

Yes. And I wanted to shop for something. I can't remember what it was.

She went shopping after work at her door of good men, a very luxury department store on Stitha and the Manhattan.

He was standing outside and it was dark. So it must have been 630, maybe 7.

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