High-profile defamation trial involving former President Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll, his defense attorney, Alina Habba, has openly criticized Judge Lewis Kaplan’s handling of the proceedings. The dispute arose over a ruling on an evidentiary matter, with Habba alleging that Kaplan threatened her with jail time for objecting to his decision, as reported by Newsweek on Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
Speaking on Newsmax, Habba expressed frustration, stating, “We have a judge that is trying to throw a civil attorney, threatening me that he’s going to put me in the ‘clink’ because I objected to his ruling on an evidentiary issue.”
The disagreement stemmed from Kaplan’s decision to disallow a crucial PowerPoint slide for their case. Despite Habba’s objections citing evidence rules, Kaplan reportedly silenced her with the threat of imprisonment.
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The trial focuses on Trump’s alleged defamatory statements against Carroll in 2019, which resulted in an $83.3 million damages order against the former president.
Kaplan had previously restricted Trump from discussing certain topics in court, including Carroll’s past relationships and experiences, to ensure a fair trial.
Habba further claimed that Kaplan’s rulings hindered the jury from accessing key evidence, such as video footage and tweets, potentially impacting their perception of the case. She argued that these limitations could influence the jury’s beliefs, creating a one-sided perspective.
Despite criticism of her performance during the trial, Habba remains confident about the upcoming appeal. She believes that the rulings and perceived one-sidedness will be raised during the appeal process, asserting, “On appeal, those rulings will come up, the one-sidedness will come up, and we will prevail.”
Judge Kaplan’s threat to Habba on January 26, suggesting she was on the “verge of spending some time in the lockup,” has drawn attention to tensions within the courtroom. Kaplan had ruled against Habba’s use of a particular slide in her closing argument, leading to a contentious exchange.
Former Department of Justice litigator Gene Rossi acknowledged the challenges faced by Habba, describing Trump as an “impossible” client.
“With respect to Ms. Habba, she has an impossible client, with whom she has to work,” Rossi commented. He also noted the heightened scrutiny on her due to the high-profile nature of the case and her apparent discomfort with the rules of evidence.
As the trial unfolds, Trump has indicated his intention to seek new legal representation for the expected appeal, as mentioned on his Truth Social media platform.
The former president criticized Judge Kaplan, referring to the trial as a “ridiculous and unfair Witch Hunt” and accusing the judge of being highly partisan.
With the trial continuing to attract attention, the legal proceedings surrounding Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll remain a focal point of public interest, with both sides gearing up for a potentially protracted appellate process.
