Donald Trump back on trial, may testify in E. Jean Carroll case

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The trial in author E. Jean Carroll‘s newest civil case in opposition to Donald Trump resumes on Monday, with the prospect that the previous U.S. president could for the primary time testify in open courtroom within the defamation case.

A nine-person jury is listening to proof to find out how a lot Trump ought to pay Carroll for defaming her in June 2019, when he denied raping her within the mid-Nineties in a Bergdorf Goodman division retailer dressing room in Manhattan.

Trump, 77, has persistently denied that something occurred, and accused Carroll, 80, of creating up the incident to spice up gross sales of her then-new memoir.

A special jury final Could ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5 million over his comparable October 2022 denial. Trump is interesting that verdict.

The trial is earlier than U.S. District Choose Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan, who oversaw the sooner trial.

If he testifies, Trump will likely be forbidden from difficult Kaplan’s rulings that he defamed and sexually abused Carroll, which the choose mentioned the primary trial established. The one problem is how a lot cash Trump should pay Carroll, if any.

Attorneys for Carroll argued this month that Trump’s latest habits strongly instructed he may attempt to “sow chaos” if he testified, and may consider that doing so would assist him.

Kaplan made an identical level on the trial’s second day, after a lawyer for Carroll advised him that jurors might need overheard Trump loudly proclaim the trial a “witch hunt” and “con job.”

The choose warned Trump he is likely to be ejected if it occurred once more.

“I’d like it,” Trump mentioned.

“I do know you’d,” Kaplan replied.

Trump, a Republican, has used his authorized travails to advertise his 2024 White Home run, calling the circumstances a part of a political vendetta and an abuse of the judicial system.

Final week, Trump shuttled between the Carroll trial and marketing campaign occasions in New Hampshire, which holds its first-in-the-nation presidential main on Tuesday. The newest polling reveals Trump widening his lead in New Hampshire.

Trump has individually pleaded not responsible in 4 federal and state felony circumstances, together with two claiming he tried illegally to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Carroll has already testified. She mentioned Trump’s denials destroyed her popularity as a truth-telling journalist, with many now branding her a liar together with her personal political agenda.

Trump’s authorized staff has accused Carroll of in search of fame and adulation by coming ahead, whereas turning into an advocate for ladies. Alina Habba, certainly one of Trump’s legal professionals, in a letter on Friday mentioned that habits conflicted with Carroll’s “affirmative, non-waivable responsibility” to reduce the hurt from the defamation.

Carroll testified that she loved the “heat” from supporters, however had not sought fame.

Joshua Matz, certainly one of her legal professionals, in a letter on Sunday referred to as it “offensive” for Trump to persist in asserting that Carroll needs to be “grateful to him” for defaming her.

A Northwestern College professor testified for Carroll that it could value $7.3 million to $12.1 million to restore Trump’s harm to Carroll’s popularity.

Others who might also testify embody former Elle editor-in-chief Robbie Myers and former New York TV information anchor Carol Martin, a pal of Carroll’s.

The case may go to the jury by mid-week.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Luc Cohen in New York; Modifying by Noeleen Walder and Leslie Adler)