Trump’s lawyers announced that they would not be putting on a defense case at the E. Jean Carroll civil rape trial, and Carroll’s lawyers expect to be done with their case by Thursday.
Donald Trump’s lawyers said Wednesday that they will not call any witnesses at the New York civil trial arising from writer E. Jean Carroll’s claims that the former president raped her in the mid-1990s.
Trump lawyer Joseph Tacopina said they decided not to put on a defense case after learning that health issues were preventing their expert witness, a psychiatrist, from testifying. Tacopina previously disclosed that Trump would not testify at the trial, in federal court in Manhattan.
I am not a lawyer, but it appears that Trump’s attorneys are signaling that they don’t believe that Carroll’s attorneys effectively made their case.
The verdict will determine whether they are proven correct or not, but it seems risky to not put up a defense, especially because Carroll and other witnesses who allege that Trump assaulted testified for days.
The E. Jean Carroll trial could do a lot of damage to Trump if he is found liable for raping Carroll. The burden of proof is lower in civil court but Trump would have an additional title to be carrying around with him on the 2024 campaign trail to add to insurrectionist, felony indicted. Trump could also be referred to as a rapist if Carroll wins her case.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
