[ad_1]
The New York Attorney General is suing him for fraud.
But before those investigations and lawsuits are over, Trump will face a civil trial over allegations that he raped author and former magazine columnist E. Gene Carroll nearly 30 years ago.
The trial, which centers on Carroll’s charges, is scheduled to begin Tuesday in downtown Manhattan with jury selection, a moment of legal and investigative scrutiny against the former president.
Carroll’s case marks the third time in a month that Trump, who lives in Florida, may be in New York City for legal proceedings. Exiled. Trump has denied wrongdoing in these and other cases he was involved in.
While other investigations in New York have dealt with allegations of falsification of business records and financial fraud, Carroll’s case focuses on allegations of sudden and disastrous violence.
Carroll said Trump raped her in the mid-1990s, years before he became president. He filed a lawsuit, accusing him of assault.
Carroll said he plans to testify at the trial, but it remains unclear whether Trump will appear in court or testify. A decision will be made during the trial, which is expected to last about a week or more.
With Trump launching his third bid for the White House, Carroll’s trial could put a string of sexual misconduct allegations against him back in the headlines.
Carroll said on her account that she and Trump bumped into Bergdorf Goodman, an upscale Manhattan department store. was the moderator.
She said Trump asked her to help choose gifts for women. She claimed she opened the zipper and raped her.
Carol later confided in two close friends what happened, but said she decided not to tell anyone else for fear of damaging her reputation.
Trump said this never happened. After her allegations were made public, Trump said the two never met and that “people should pay big bucks for such false accusations.” accused Carol of trying to sell her book.
Carroll is one of more than a dozen women Trump has accused of sexual misconduct, including allegations that he touched and kissed her against her will. Many of these allegations were made late in the 2016 presidential election, when the Washington Post spoke outrightly about grabbing women’s genitals in an “Access Hollywood” interview several years ago. It was right after I released the recording that I had.
Trump has responded to accusers by denying their allegations, denigrating the women, branding them all as liars, and in some cases mocking their appearance. In replying, Trump used similar rhetoric, denying the attack had occurred, and saying she was “not my type.”
Later that year, Carroll sued Trump for defamation. That case is still pending. The Justice Department argued that Trump was acting as president while responding to Carroll’s allegations, and said the United States, not Trump himself, should be the defendant. can’t be sued for defamation, so Carroll’s claim will likely be overruled.
The issue remains open. The DC Court of Appeals heard the debate on the matter, but this month essentially punted the issue and sent it to another court.
Last year, Carroll filed a second lawsuit. The lawsuit accused Trump of assault and defamed her again after her resignation.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, is scheduled for trial on Tuesday. The lawsuit was filed in his November 2022, when a New York state law known as the Adult Survivors Act came into effect. The law allowed victims of sexual assault to sue years later. Advocates said it was necessary because it can take a significant amount of time for victims to feel ready to speak up.
In her lawsuit, Carroll highlighted statements Trump posted on social media in October 2022, dismissing her accusations as “hoaxes and lies.”
“I don’t know this woman, nor do I know who she is. Years ago she took a picture of me shaking hands with my husband at the reception of a celebrity charity event. It seems,” he said. Later in his statement, Trump added: She this woman is not my type! ”
Mr. Trump was discharged last year following a lawsuit at his private club and mansion, Mar-a-Lago, Florida, calling Mr. Carroll “psychotic.” During this interrogation, Trump mistook a picture of Carroll for his ex-wife Marla Maples, according to a deposition excerpt.
“It’s Marla, yes,” he said during the deposition. “That’s my wife.”
His mistake was quickly corrected by one of his lawyers.
In her lawsuit, Carroll sought a court order ordering “Trump to withdraw its defamation statement” along with unspecified damages.
Carroll’s attorney plans to call two other women who previously accused Trump of sexual misconduct to testify. Another says Trump pushed her against a wall and kissed her by force before the butler interrupted.
Carroll’s attorney, Roberta A. Kaplan, said in court: Her clients can take depositions in court, so they don’t have to call Trump to testify.
Trump’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, suggested on Friday that he was confident in the former president’s defense and believed the jury would not find wrongdoing.
In a letter to the judge, Tacopina said Trump “wants to appear at trial” but wants to avoid the “logistical and financial burden” that such an appearance would entail. , cited Trump’s recent arraignment in Manhattan to illustrate these issues.
Trump was indicted in New York earlier this month on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. These charges were paid to an adult film actress during the 2016 presidential election to prevent her from speaking out about her allegations that she had an affair with Trump years earlier. On April 4, Trump appeared in court for felony arraignment and pleaded not guilty.
His arraignment created a chaotic atmosphere around the courthouse, with crowds of supporters, detractors and journalists gathering nearby. The area was overrun with law enforcement personnel, courts were temporarily closed and major roads were blocked to allow the Secret Service to clear out.
Tacopina wrote that similar problems would arise if Trump appeared in federal court.
Tacopina clarified to U.S. District Judge Louis A. Kaplan to jurors that Trump did not have to attend the trial and that his absence was to avoid a “logistical burden.” and to say, “Unless he attends, his attendance is exempted.” Called for testimony by either party. ”
Kaplan, who had no relationship with Carroll’s attorney, said there was nothing to excuse and wrote that Trump had “no legal obligation to attend or testify.” He said there were no plans to call him as a witness, adding, “The decision to attend or testify is for him alone.”
Carroll’s attorneys said Trump recently appeared at a mixed martial arts event in Miami, spoke at the National Rifle Association gathering in Indianapolis, and has scheduled campaign features for what will be his third trial in New Hampshire. submitted to the court that the The judge referred to this last event in his written reply to Tacopina.
“If the Secret Service can protect him at that event, the Secret Service, the Marshal Service, and the City of New York can watch over his safety in this very secure federal courthouse.
Trump’s lawyers also tried to delay the trial by a month, echoing his long-standing practice of trying to defer or delay lawsuits. His attorney said the trial took place so soon after his indictment in Manhattan that potential jurors would “prioritize criminal charges” when considering Trump’s defense in the Carroll case. said that it means
Judge Kaplan denied the request, stating that the jury selection process “requires juror candidates’ perceptions of Mr. Trump’s various legal issues (past, present, and possibly future), as well as juror competence and willingness. It will likely be investigated,” he said. In this case, we will render a fair and impartial verdict.”
A judge acknowledged the unusual and difficult nature of the case involving Trump. , using language that echoed his rhetoric, called to protest what he called an impending arrest.
In March, shortly after Trump called out the protest, Kaplan said jurors hearing Carroll’s case would be made anonymous to avoid potential harassment and media scrutiny.
“The disclosure of juror identities could allow the media to draw unwanted attention to jurors, exert influence over jurors, and allow Trump supporters to harass jurors or worse. more likely,” writes Kaplan.
[ad_2]
Source link
