A significant turn of events, former President Donald Trump encountered a setback during his testimony in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case. This legal drama, unfolding in a New York courtroom, has drawn widespread attention as Trump, a prominent figure eyeing the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, faced restrictions imposed by Judge Lewis Kaplan.
Trump’s brief testimony focused on Carroll’s sexual assault allegations, with the former president vehemently labeling them a “false accusation.” Inner City Press reporter Matthew Russell Lee shared Trump’s statement on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, promptly objected to Trump’s remarks, prompting Judge Kaplan to sustain the objection. Prior to Trump taking the stand, Judge Kaplan had warned that the former president could not deny Carroll’s allegations, emphasizing a previous trial’s unanimous conclusion that Trump’s denial was false and defamatory, as reported by Newsweek on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
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“There was a trial last year regarding the truth or falsity of Ms. Carroll’s claim that Mr. Trump sexually assaulted her,” Judge Kaplan stated. “The jury unanimously concluded that he sexually assaulted her, and his claim that he did not was false and defamatory.”
Underlining the finality of the prior trial, Kaplan emphasized, “There are no do-overs,” emphasizing that past actions cannot be relitigated. Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, confirmed the former president’s awareness of the constraints on his testimony.
On the witness stand, Trump professed unfamiliarity with Carroll, stating, “I don’t know who this woman is, never met this woman.” However, he reiterated his firm stance on the deposition he provided in 2022, dismissing Carroll’s allegations as a “hoax” and a “con job.”
During the testimony, Trump faced a direct question about instructing harm to Carroll, to which he straightforwardly responded, “No.” Newsweek reached out to lawyers representing both parties and Trump’s campaign for comments on the ongoing proceedings.
This trial represents a continuation of the legal battles between Carroll, a former Elle columnist, and Trump. Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit in 2019, asserting that Trump accused her of lying about her sexual assault allegations in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.
The current trial aims to determine the amount Trump must pay Carroll for defamation. Notably, a civil trial jury in a previous case found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation in May of the preceding year. Throughout these legal challenges, Trump has consistently maintained his innocence, framing the cases as politically motivated.
The unfolding courtroom developments underscore the intense legal scrutiny facing Trump, with each statement and response analyzed in the context of prior rulings. Beyond the courtroom, this trial holds implications for broader discussions on sexual assault allegations, defamation, and the accountability of public figures.
