Jury selection began Tuesday in E. Jean Carroll's Manhattan federal defamation trial against Donald Trump, who came to court Monday night shortly after his political victory in the Iowa caucuses.
Alina Haba, Trump's lead lawyer in the case, said Trump's team plans to call him as a witness.
An earlier jury in another related case by a New York writer determined that the former U.S. president sexually abused her.
Carroll said President Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room nearly 30 years ago. Five years ago, she came forward for the first time publicly with excerpts from her then-upcoming book. What do we need men for?a modest suggestionpublished in New York magazine.
Trump, who was still president at the time, immediately launched an attack, claiming he had “never met anyone like this in my life.” She's trying to sell her new book – that should show her motives. It should be sold in the fiction section. ” She filed a lawsuit against Trump in 2019, claiming his denials damaged her own reputation.
At the time, Carroll could not bring suit against Trump because her sexual assault claims fell outside New York's civil statute of limitations. In 2022, New York State's Adult Survivors Act went into effect, giving adult survivors of sexual misconduct a one-year grace period to sue their accused abusers, so she could be held accountable for the underlying assault. The allegations make it possible to sue Trump again.
The suit also included defamation claims for Trump's comments about her after leaving the White House. This second lawsuit will be heard in April 2023, with jurors finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation for comments she made after she took office, and awarding her $5 million. handed down a judgment.
This week's trial will only consider damages for things Trump denied while president, so in effect, it's how much Trump will have to pay her. Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is overseeing the case, will not allow Trump's team to re-litigate Carroll's claims.
“The results conclusively establish that Mr. Trump sexually abused and, in fact, raped Ms. Carol, and are binding in this case,” Kaplan said.
“Mr. It is forbidden.”
Trump arrived in court at around 9:30 a.m. local time wearing a dark suit and bright red tie. Despite facing stiff penalties for denying Carroll's claims, Trump has doubled down on such statements.
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Trump, or his representatives, posted excerpts of Carroll's interview with Anderson Cooper on Truth Social, in which she discussed her claims. “Can you believe I have to defend myself from this woman's false story?!” he wrote.
Mr. Trump's “Truth Social” focused on postings aimed at discrediting Mr. Carroll and criticizing the judge.
“The only right, honest, and legal thing Clinton-appointed Judge Lewis Kaplan could do is ever see things clearly because of his absolute hatred for Donald J. Trump (me!) “We have never met, seen, or even touched each other (line in the photo doesn't count!) and we have never been able to do that, but we need to end this un-American injustice.” That's what was done to the president of the United States, who was accused of…
Jury selection began with Kaplan asking a group of potential panelists questions aimed at identifying potential biases. At several points during the questioning, Trump turned to look at potential jurors. Among these questions: Did anyone think the 2020 election was stolen?
Both answered in the affirmative.
