Following a significant triumph in the Iowa caucus, former President Donald Trump is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday to confront yet another legal challenge.
This trial aims to determine the additional amount he owes writer E. Jean Carroll for rejecting her claim of sexual assault in the 1990s and accusing her of falsehoods.
Jury selection is set to commence Tuesday morning at a federal court in Manhattan, with opening arguments likely in the afternoon. This trial essentially marks a second phase, focusing on determining the financial penalty for Trump, following Carroll’s previous legal victory. In May, a jury awarded Carroll $5 million, finding that Trump sexually abused her in 1996 and later defamed her by dismissing her claims as lies in 2022.
The unresolved matter from the first trial is the amount owed by Trump for his statements about Carroll during his presidency. The new jury’s sole responsibility is to determine this monetary figure. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled that the new jury need not revisit the issues of sexual abuse or defamation, as those were addressed in the previous trial.
Trump is expected to attend the trial on Tuesday, but his plans for the remainder of the week are uncertain due to his mother-in-law’s funeral on Thursday. While he expressed a desire to testify, strict limitations would be imposed on the topics he can discuss. Trump did not attend the previous trial, citing advice from his lawyer.
Given the trial’s focus on determining financial liability, the judge has cautioned Trump and his legal team against making statements to the jury that echo his campaign rhetoric or other extraneous claims. Restrictions include refraining from discussing Carroll’s personal life and relationships, asserting that Trump did not sexually abuse her, or suggesting any ulterior motives on her part.
These constraints do not apply outside the jury’s presence, allowing Trump to continue posting on social media about these topics. However, each denial risks increasing the damages he might have to pay. Trump’s request to delay the trial by a week was rejected by Judge Kaplan, who, nevertheless, offered the option for Trump to testify as late as Monday.
Carroll, 80, plans to testify about the damage to her career and reputation resulting from Trump’s public statements. She seeks $10 million in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages. Trump, 77, continues to appeal the previous jury’s findings, maintaining that he never met Carroll, and dismissing her claims as fabrications for book sales and political motives.
Despite legal challenges, Trump remains a frontrunner in 2024 Republican presidential primary polls and intends to allocate substantial time to address civil and criminal cases, viewing it as part of his ongoing campaign.
