Closing arguments are about to commence in the damages trial between E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump. Carroll, a writer, is seeking well over $10 million in damages for Trump repeatedly defaming her by calling her sexual abuse allegations against him a “con job.”
Trump, who testified for the second time in this trial, plans to attend the proceedings, according to his campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung.
During his testimony, Trump explained that he lashed out at Carroll after she made her allegations public in 2019 to defend himself, his family, and the presidency. However, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan struck the comment from the record as it was deemed unresponsive to the question asked.
Despite the limits placed on Trump’s testimony, he confirmed that he considered Carroll’s accusations to be false. Judge Kaplan had previously instructed the jury to disregard any declarations made by Trump, as he has already been found liable for defaming Carroll.
In a previous trial, a different jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s and for defaming her by calling her a “wack job” and her claims a hoax. This verdict has been used as a basis for the current trial, which focuses on similar remarks made by Trump about Carroll while he was president in 2019. The jury’s responsibility is solely to determine the amount of compensation Carroll should receive.
Carroll is seeking a minimum of $10 million in compensatory damages for the injury to her reputation, humiliation, and mental anguish in both her public and private life. Additionally, she is seeking punitive damages to punish Trump for his malicious actions and to deter him and others from further defaming her. The jury was shown numerous examples of Trump’s continued attacks on Carroll to the press and on social media since the previous $5 million verdict was delivered.
An expert witness testified on Carroll’s behalf, estimating that repairing her reputation alone would cost between $7 million to $12 million. Carroll’s legal team will also seek additional damages for the emotional harm she has suffered. It is expected that they will request a substantial amount in punitive damages to send a strong message to Trump about the consequences of his actions. This is particularly relevant as Trump has continued to target Carroll since the trial began on January 16, even posting about her on his Truth Social website.
Trump’s defense team argues that Carroll should receive no compensation or at most a nominal amount, as they believe he should not be held responsible for the online vitriol and death threats that followed his posts and mockery of Carroll. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, has pointed out that many of these threats echo Trump’s language, thus holding him accountable.
It’s worth noting that Trump did not attend last year’s trial and declined to testify. However, he has been present in court almost every day during the current trial. Earlier this week, the trial was postponed for three days due to a juror falling ill and concerns about potential exposure to COVID-19. The juror tested negative for the virus, allowing the trial to proceed.
Source: F5mag.com