September 6th 2024.
Donald Trump took a break from his busy campaign schedule to attend a court hearing on Friday, where his legal team was fighting to overturn a verdict that found him guilty of sexual assault and defamation. The former president and his accuser, E. Jean Carroll, sat at different tables in the Manhattan federal appeals court, about five meters apart.
As he entered and exited the courtroom, Trump did not acknowledge or make eye contact with Carroll, but he did shake his head at certain points, especially when Carroll's lawyer mentioned the sexual assault allegations against him. Trump's attorney, D. John Sauer, argued that the trial was biased due to improper evidence being presented.
Sauer stated, "This case is a prime example of false accusations being supported by highly inflammatory and inadmissible evidence." He pointed out that the jury had been shown the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape from 2005, in which Trump can be heard boasting about grabbing women without their consent because he was a celebrity.
On the other hand, Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, defended the evidence presented at the trial, stating that there was more than enough proof to support Carroll's claim of being sexually assaulted by Trump in a luxury department store dressing room many years ago. She also argued that the "Access Hollywood" tape could be seen as a confession by Trump.
Outside the courthouse, Carroll, standing alongside her lawyer, declined to comment on the proceedings. Meanwhile, Trump left the court in a motorcade and later spoke to reporters at Trump Tower, where he once again denied all allegations against him and accused Carroll of making them up for publicity.
"It's all lies. It's a fabricated story by someone who, in my opinion, was just trying to promote a book," Trump said, repeating his previous statements about Carroll. This statement raised questions about whether Carroll could file another defamation lawsuit against him.
Kaplan, when asked about Trump's comments, stated, "I have said before, and I will say again, that all options are on the table." However, it is expected to take weeks, if not months, for the three-judge panel to make a ruling on the case.
In May 2023, a jury found Trump guilty of sexual assault against Carroll and awarded her $5 million in damages. The former president did not participate in the trial and has expressed regret for not being present. The outcome of the trial has political and financial implications for Trump, as he has been criticized by Vice President Kamala Harris for the jury's verdict.
Furthermore, in January of last year, another jury awarded Carroll an additional $83.3 million in damages for comments made by Trump while he was still president, as they were deemed defamatory. The judge had instructed the jury to accept the first jury's finding of sexual assault by Trump.
Trump, who testified for less than three minutes in the second trial, was not allowed to dispute the first jury's decision. However, he was visibly animated throughout the two-week trial and could be heard grumbling about it. The appeal for this trial will be heard at a later date by the appeals court.
Carroll, who testified in both trials, stated that her life as a columnist for Elle magazine was ruined by Trump's public comments, which led to death threats and fear for her safety. The Associated Press does not disclose the identities of sexual assault victims unless they choose to come forward, like Carroll did.
During the court hearing, Trump's lawyer argued that the testimony of witnesses who claimed that Carroll had told them about the assault right after it happened was improper due to their bias against Trump. He also criticized the judge's decision to allow two other women to testify about similar instances of sexual abuse by Trump.
Kaplan countered this argument, stating that each instance of sexual assault by Trump followed a similar pattern, where he would engage in friendly conversation that would then suddenly turn into an attack. She also noted that Trump had made similar denials about all three women who had accused him of sexual assault.
In a possible hint at the court's decision, Circuit Judge Denny Chin warned Trump's lawyer that the appeals court usually gives great deference to the lower court's decisions on matters of evidence. "It's challenging to overturn a jury verdict based on evidentiary rulings," Chin stated.
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