Trump’s lawyers have announced that they will not file a defense case in E. Jean Carroll’s civil rape trial.
Donald Trump’s lawyers said Wednesday that they will not call any witnesses in a New York civil trial related to claims by secretary E. Jean Carroll that the former president sexually assaulted her in the mid-1990s.
Trump’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, said he decided not to file a defense lawsuit after learning that a health expert was preventing his psychiatrist from testifying. Tacopina previously said Trump would not testify at the trial in federal court in Manhattan.
I’m not a lawyer, but Trump’s lawyers seem to be expressing that they don’t believe Carroll’s lawyers made their case.
While the verdict will determine whether or not the case is actually proven, not offering a defense seems dangerous, especially as Carroll and other witnesses who Trump says assaulted have testified for days.
The EJ Carroll trial could do more damage to Trump if Carroll is found guilty of raping. The burden of proof is lower in civil court, but Trump will have an additional title to carry with him on the campaign trail in 2024, to add to the criminal prosecution. If Carroll wins her cases, Trump may be called bold.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House Press Pool and 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 activities.
Awards and professional memberships
Member of the Association of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association
