New York police seized a gun belonging to author E. Jean Carroll after she said it during her testimony in February. defamation suit against the former president Donald Trump According to a police report obtained by NBC News, he had an unlicensed firearm in the home.
The Warwick, New York, police chief visited Carroll’s home on Feb. 15 “to discuss some outstanding issues,” the report said, after Carroll revealed the gun while he was on the witness stand on Jan. 17.
On the second day of the civil trial, Carroll told federal court in lower Manhattan that he kept a “high-end revolver, nine-chamber” ammunition at home. “By my bed,” he said.
“I still don’t have my license,” Carroll added.
Reporting officer John Rader said in his report that he “suggested that the weapon be kept on police department property for safekeeping.”
Carroll and a member of his security team surrendered the gun the day after Rader’s visit, and the firearm was held until Carroll obtained a handgun license from New York.
Carroll and his attorney did not immediately return requests for comment Friday evening, nor did Rader.
Under New York state law, a person can be convicted of felon in possession if they possess an unregistered firearm, such as a handgun. The offense is punishable by a maximum of four years in prison.
It was unclear whether police waited nearly a month to personally ask Carroll about the unregistered gun he said was at his home, or if police still had it.
Carroll’s gun became a point of contention during cross-examination at the hearing in January, as was Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba. Carroll pressed whether he owns a gun and knows he needs a license to do so.
The presiding judge in the case, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, appeared frustrated by Habba’s questioning.
When he started asking Carroll about the firearm, he said, “Don’t even start.”
A jury ordered Carroll to pay $83.3 million in damages for repeatedly defaming Trump. The award included $11 million in damages to Carroll’s reputation, $7.3 million in emotional and other damages, and $65 million in punitive damages.
Kaplan later rejected arguments by Trump’s attorneys that the case should be dismissed because Carroll deleted threatening messages, including death threats. The judge said that although Carroll confessed, he deleted some of it Details of the alleged death threats and deletions remain unclear.
Trump already happened was held responsible Because Carroll defamed her while in the White House, the jury was ordered to determine only how much damages she should receive.
Trump denied it allegations of rape and defamation opposed it and posted a $91.6 million bond to secure the sentence while appealing the conviction.