Ms. E. Jean Carroll arrives at the federal court in Manhattan (USA) to attend the trial on May 8.
According to AFP, on May 8, former US President Donald Trump was absent from a civil trial in federal court in Manhattan (USA) related to allegations of rape and defamation against former journalist E. Jean Carroll.
Mr Trump waived his right to testify at the trial and chose not to enter a plea. Last week, the former president told reporters in Ireland that he would “probably” attend the trial, but ultimately chose not to appear.
Ms. Carroll, 79, filed a lawsuit against Mr. Trump, 76, last year, alleging that the former president raped her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996 and then defamed her on the social network Truth Social in October 2022. In that post, Mr. Trump called Ms. Carroll's claims "a hoax and a lie."
Ms Carroll is seeking damages for emotional distress, long-term psychological harm and breach of privacy.
Mr. Trump has not been criminally charged in the case. However, if he loses, this will be the first time the former president has been held legally responsible for sexual assault allegations.
At trial, Ms Carroll’s lawyers said Mr Trump’s absence showed “he did it”. “He never looked you in the eye and denied raping Ms Carroll,” said lawyer Mike Ferrara.
Survey: Majority of Americans do not want a repeat of the Biden-Trump presidential race
Former President Trump has denied all allegations, saying Ms. Carroll made up the story to boost sales of her 2019 memoir. In a video played to the jury on May 3, Mr. Trump denied raping Ms. Carroll. “It’s the most ridiculous, disgusting story ever made up,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump's lawyers said on May 8 that Ms. Carroll's inability to remember the date of the incident made it impossible for Mr. Trump to defend himself by providing an alibi.
The jury of six men and three women is expected to begin deliberating on the case on May 9 (US time).
Source link
Comment (0)