Former President Donald Trump abruptly exited a Manhattan federal courtroom on Friday during the defamation trial brought against him by writer E. Jean Carroll. Carroll's lawyer, Roberta
Kaplan, urged the jury to hold Trump accountable by awarding Carroll a reported $24 million in compensatory damages for the alleged "storm of hate" that followed her accusations of sexual assault against the former president.
Trump's departure spared him from witnessing Kaplan's appeal for significant financial retribution for the harm caused to Carroll's reputation. After roughly 40 minutes, Trump returned as his own legal team began presenting their closing arguments.
Judge Lewis Kaplan, unrelated to Carroll's lawyer, noted Trump's exit from the courtroom and briefly interrupted proceedings. During his time outside, Trump took to social media, criticizing the judge as "an extremely abusive individual" and claiming a denial of his constitutional right to due process.
The ongoing trial revolves around whether Trump defamed Carroll when, as president, he denied her sexual assault allegations. This follows a previous civil trial in May, where Trump was found liable for sexually assaulting Carroll, resulting in a $2 million payout. An additional $3 million was awarded for defamation in 2022 when Trump labeled Carroll's claims a "con job."
Judge Kaplan ruled that Trump cannot deny the charges in the current case based on the previous verdict. The current trial focuses on Trump's lengthy denials made in June 2019 after Carroll publicly accused him of rape in the mid-1990s. The jury is tasked with determining if Trump should pay damages to Carroll and, if so, how much. Carroll's expert estimates suggest she may need up to $12 million or more to repair her reputation.
Carroll testified that Trump's statements unleashed a barrage of attacks and death threats from his followers. The trial aims to hold Trump accountable for his actions and bring an end to the ongoing harm inflicted on Carroll. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.