E. Jean Carroll was Miss Indiana University in the ‘60s. Why is she in the news?
Before E. Jean Carroll's name became tied irrevocably to Donald Trump's, she was a trailblazer in New York City's elite literary circles. Before that, she was an advice columnist who appeared on TV.
But before all that, she was a Hoosier — a cheerleading beauty queen from Fort Wayne who graduated from Indiana University in the 1960s.
Carroll grew up in "middle America" and felt she could get a job doing whatever she wanted, which, as it turned out, was to be a writer. Here's what you should know about her.
Who is E. Jean Carroll?
Elizabeth Jean Carroll is a lauded writer, journalist, author and advice columnist who was featured in Elle Magazine for nearly 30 years until 2020. She wrote for Saturday Night Live in the 1980s and hosted "Ask E. Jean," a TV show that aired from 1994-96 and served as a precursor to MSNBC's "America's Talking."
Is E. Jean Carroll a good writer?
Carroll's writing, known both for her humor and empathy, has been featured in publications like Rolling Stone, Esquire and Playboy where she was the first woman to serve as its contributing editor.
"In the literary journalism world, she was a player, which is saying a lot,'' a former editor said of Carroll in 2019. "There weren't a lot of women who were being hired by men's magazines. And she was.''
Beauty queen, journalist, pioneer: The many faces of E. Jean Carroll.
Where is E. Jean Carroll from?
Despite the glitz of New York City, Carroll's roots are planted firmly in the Midwest. She grew up in Fort Wayne as the oldest of four children. An IU graduate in the class of 1967, Carroll was named Miss Indiana University in 1963, as well as Miss Cheerleader U.S.A., which earned her a scholarship.
Why did E. Jean Carroll sue former president Donald Trump?
Carroll, 80, claimed Trump, 77, sexually assaulted her in a New York City department store dressing room roughly 30 years ago, charges the former president has publicly denied.
The moment the dressing-room door closed, Carroll said Trump lunged at her, shoving her against a wall where he next pulled down her tights. Carroll gave a graphic account of the assault both in her book and in a later article.
Was Donald Trump found guilty of rape?
In May, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll, but not for rape. Trump was also found guilty of defaming Carroll in 2022 when he called her a "con job." He was ordered to pay $5 million.
A civil defamation trial was set for January to determine how much money Trump should pay additionally after damaging Carroll's reputation.
How much will Trump owe E. Jean Carroll? Expert says he could owe $12M (or much more) for defamation
What did Donald Trump say about E. Jean Carroll?
Trump has strongly denied Carroll's accusations, saying in 2019: "I've never met this person in my life. She is trying to sell a new book — that should indicate her motivation. It should be sold in the fiction section."
A photo of Trump and Carroll together was taken around 1987 — years before the alleged assault — along with Trump's ex-wife, Ivana Trump, and Carroll's then-husband.
Trump called Carroll's allegations "a disgrace" and said "people should pay dearly for such false accusations.”
Trump's tone hasn't shifted much. On Wednesday, a New York judge threatened to toss Trump out of the courtroom after the belligerent ex-President could be heard making disparaging comments about Carroll within earshot of the jury.
Has E. Jean Carroll been threatened by Trump supporters?
Carroll has received numerous threats ever since she went public. One said the "penalty for lying about rape should be execution by hanging or firing squad," while another said "stick a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger and send yourself to HELL."
"I spent 50 years building a reputation," Carroll said. "Now I'm known as a liar, a fraud, and a whack job."
John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Andrew Clark, Charisse Jones and USA TODAY reporter Aysha Bagchi contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Who is E. Jean Carroll? What to know about the Indiana native
