New York City, NY – The defamation case against former President Donald Trump, brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, will not include the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape or the testimony of two other women who accused Trump of abuse. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, made this revelation, stating that she wants the trial to stay focused on Carroll’s specific accusations against Trump. The exclusion of the tape and additional accusers means that Trump’s testimony in the case is likely to happen sooner than expected, possibly on Monday, just one day before the Republican primary in New Hampshire.
This trial comes after a federal jury in New York City last year found that Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation, ordering him to pay Carroll $5 million. Carroll, now 80, alleges that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1996. She claims that the two had a chance encounter at the store, where Trump asked for her advice on a gift for someone else. Carroll says that they shopped together before Trump pushed her into a dressing room and assaulted her.
In response to Carroll’s lawsuit, Trump has repeatedly denied the claim, leading to the defamation case. Carroll plans to testify about the damage to her career and reputation caused by Trump’s public statements, seeking $10 million in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages. Trump himself announced his plans to testify through a social media post last week, expressing frustration with the trial and calling it a politically biased “witch hunt.”
This trial is just one of several legal hurdles that Trump is facing as he considers a potential run in the 2024 election. He also faces indictments on various charges in Florida, New York City, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. The outcome of this defamation case could have implications for Trump’s reputation and political future.