NEW YORK — Veering from the campaign trail to court, Donald Trump watched Friday as one of his lawyers fought to overturn a verdict finding the former president liable for sexual abuse and slander.
Trump walked into a federal appeals court quietly and passed right in front of his accuser, writer E. Jean Carroll, who was already seated at her table. He did not acknowledge her or look at her.
Attorney D. John Sauer told 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges that the civil trial in Carroll’s lawsuit was muddied by improper evidence.
Phil Taitt has the latest live from the court house ahead of Donald Trump trial.
“This case is a textbook example of implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible” evidence, Sauer said, noting that the jury was allowed to consider such items as the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump boasted years ago about grabbing women’s genitals.
Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said the evidence in question was proper, and that there was plenty of proof in the nearly two-week-long trial of Carroll’s claim that Trump attacked her in a luxury department store dressing room decades ago.
“E. Jean Carroll brought this case because Donald Trump sexually assaulted her in 1996, in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, and then defamed her in 2022 by claiming that she was crazy and made the whole thing up,” Kaplan said.
The three-judge panel didn’t immediately rule on Trump’s appeal of a jury’s finding that he sexually abused Carroll. Trump denies it. That jury awarded Carroll $5 million.
Trump’s lawyers say the jury’s verdict should be tossed because evidence was allowed at trial that should have been excluded and other evidence was excluded that should have been permitted.
Trump, who has denied attacking Carroll, did not attend the 2023 trial and has expressed regret he was not there.
The court is unlikely to issue a ruling before November’s presidential election. The civil case has both political and financial implications for Trump.
Ahead of the proceedings, protesters in support of Carroll arrived footsteps from the courthouse to show their support and respect for her. They said they don’t want to see Trump walk away with a victory and that he should be held accountable.
“First of all it’s important for us to support E. Jean Carroll, she’s one of the bravest people in the United States, she’s one of the first people to really go up against Trump and win,” said Jamie Bauer with Rise and Resist New York. “I have tremendous respect for her and we want to be here to support her.”
Trump’s legal woes continue as a New York Judge will decide Friday whether to delay sentencing for the former president’s criminal hush money case.
Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18, after he was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records linked to a hush payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
On Thursday, Trump spoke before the Economic Club of New York. He said he wants to create a presidential commission focused on increasing efficiency in government, and that Elon Musk has agreed to lead it.
While Trump awaits his next steps in these cases, the race to the White House continues. The presidential debate is scheduled for Thursday and Trump is expected to hold a press conference at noon at Trump Tower.
(Some information from the Associated Press)
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