Writer E. Jean Carroll in damages trial defamation suit The trial against Donald Trump continues Monday, with the former president expected to attend and possibly testify.
Carroll suing Trump he slandered him when he was president calling the sexual abuse allegations against him “pure fiction” and a “hoax,” is expected to wrap up its case Monday afternoon, paving the way for Trump’s defense to begin. He was listed as one of only two defense witnesses and said he planned to testify.
If he does, it would mark the unprecedented sight of a former president and current leading Republican presidential candidate taking the witness stand a day before a crucial New Hampshire primary. Similar scenes are expected to take place next year, Trump has a perspective up to four criminal cases and other court hearings fighting to return to the White House.
The case is second civil court Featuring Carroll and Trump. The first came last year after Carroll sued him alleging he raped her in a New York department store dressing room in 1996, and after he left the White House, she defamed him, calling his allegations a financially motivated “fraud case.” The jury did not indict Trump for rape, but found him liable for sexual assault and defamation. Awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.
It’s Trump attractive judgment.
Trump said he would testify in the case, but ultimately he did decided not to.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan used that jury’s verdict to find Trump is responsible For defamation of Carroll in the current case based on comments Trump made about Trump when he became president in 2019, when he first went public with his allegations. The jury was ordered to determine how much Trump should pay in damages for the statements and the amount of punitive damages to prevent him from defamation.
The liability finding limits what Trump can say on the witness stand. Since Trump has been found to have sexually abused and defamed Carroll, he cannot testify otherwise.
Trump has given no indication that he plans to stick to those rules. “I don’t know who he is, I’ll explain,” Trump told reporters when asked about his statement before the trial began.
Carroll’s attorneys had asked the judge to pre-empt Trump’s testimony, saying that if he tried, “to sow chaos.” The judge said that the court “will take the necessary measures not to deviate from its decisions and laws.”
77-year-old Trump already has bowed heads In the courtroom with Kaplan, 79. During Carroll’s testimony Wednesday, his attorney complained that Trump was offering his attorney a comment that the jury could hear. Later, Kaplan asked Trump to “take special care to lower his voice.” Trump apparently didn’t — Carroll’s attorney, Sean Crowley, later told Kaplan that he could hear his client calling his client’s claims a “fraud” and a “witch hunt” when Carroll returned to the stand, and he said he could hear the jurors. notes.
“Mr. Trump has a right to be present here. After the jury left the courtroom, Kaplan told Trump and his attorney that that right can be revoked if he is disruptive” and “disobeys court orders.”
“Mr. Trump, I hope I don’t have to think about impeaching you. I understand that you want me to do that,” Kaplan said.
“I would love to. I would love it,” Trump replied.
“I know you will because you can’t control yourself in this situation, it seems You just can’t,” Kaplan replied. “Nor can you,” Trump said.
Even if the jury decides not to testify, Trump will still hear his sworn testimony. Carroll’s lawyers said in the lawsuit that they plan to broadcast the hour-long excerpts starting in October 2022. video recording for the jury. In a recent court appearance, Trump called Carroll’s claims “a huge hoax” and insisted that “physically, she’s not my type.”
He was also shown an old photo of him at an event and Carroll standing together got him wrong for his former wife, Marla Maples.
In addition to the deposition, Carroll’s attorneys are expected to call Elle editor-in-chief Roberta Myers to the stand to testify about Carroll’s reputation while working as a consulting columnist for the magazine.
Another witness Trump’s team may call is former WCBS-TV anchor Carol Martin in New York.
If Trump takes the stand, it will be his second public testimony in two months.
He was called as a witness in New York state court in November in state Attorney General Letitia James’ $250 million fraud suit against him and his company. During his time one day on the standTrump called the case “unfair” and a “fraud” while calling James a “political hack” and the judge presiding over the non-jury trial “very hostile.”
That judge is Arthur Engoron is expected to make a decision with their findings by the end of the month.
Trump last testified before a grand jury in 2013.
In that case, he was accused of cheating on an 87-year-old woman at a Trump building in Chicago. Associated Press he described his testimony at the time as “sometimes barbed, sometimes arrogant.”
The jury found to his advantage.