Trump Abruptly Leaves Court as E. Jean Carroll Defamation Trial Ends

Roberta Kaplan, not related to the judge, passionately argued that throughout the trial, Trump continued to defame Carroll by dismissing her sexual abuse allegations as a "con job." She asserted, "Ms. Carroll did not make it up, the sexual assault happened, and his denials were all complete lies."

Following Trump's exit, Kaplan addressed the jury, claiming that Trump's actions conveyed a belief that his wealth and power exempt him from consequences. Kaplan emphasized that Trump cannot attack Carroll merely because he feels like it, despite having labeled her "sick" and a "wack job."

The day's proceedings had already begun with Trump entering the courtroom late, receiving a reprimand from Kaplan. Tensions escalated as Kaplan admonished Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, for tardiness and later threatened to place her "in the lockup" after she objected to the judge's decision regarding tweets.

Trump's testimony on Thursday, where he defended his aggressive response to Carroll's allegations, was marred by Kaplan's order to strike a comment from the record. Despite strict limits on what Trump could say due to his previous defamation liability, he acknowledged making comments to defend himself and called the accusation false.

Having found Trump liable for defamation in a previous case involving Carroll, the current trial focuses on determining the compensation for the damages. Carroll is seeking at least $10 million for injury to her reputation, humiliation, and mental anguish. The jury's task is to decide the amount she should be paid.

An expert witness estimated the cost of repairing Carroll's reputation alone at $7 million to $12 million. Carroll's legal team also plans to seek additional damages for emotional harm and a significant amount in punitive damages to deter Trump from continuing to defame her.

Trump's defense argues that Carroll should receive little or no damages, asserting that Trump is not responsible for the online vitriol and death threats following his posts and mockery of Carroll. However, Carroll's attorney contends that Trump's language has directly contributed to the threats and holds him accountable.

Despite not attending last year's trial, Trump has been present almost daily for the current proceedings. The trial faced a three-day delay at the beginning of the week due to a juror falling ill and Trump's lawyer reporting potential exposure to COVID-19, though she tested negative. Throughout the trial, Trump continued to engage on his Truth Social website, posting about Carroll multiple times, indicating a persistent focus on the case.

Source: NBC