E. Jean Carroll accuses Donald J. Trump of assault and defamation. Now the process should come to an end. And Trump? He prefers to play golf.
Donald Trump could not have made his disinterest in the sensitive allegations against him clearer. Not only has the former president not once appeared in court in New York for the rape and defamation trial. Ironically, on the day of the final declarations, Trump was playing golf at his private club in distant Ireland.
So while Trump relaxedly teeed off, the jury members of E. Jean Carroll’s civil complaint in Manhattan listened to closing arguments. For seven days now they have heard testimony from witnesses. Carroll himself has testified three times. After these pleadings, the jury will retire and come to a conclusion as to whether or not to believe the witnesses’ accounts. Did the alleged sexual assault by Donald Trump in a New York department store dressing room in 1996 exist or not?
“A Political Attack”
Trump originally threatened that he would come to New York to testify in person and confront his accuser, E. Jean Carroll. He also called her a “disgrace” and a “liar”. Trump also refused to call Carroll by her name, insisting he had “no idea who she is.”
But then Trump missed a deadline on Sunday to officially inform the court of his testimony intentions. Instead, he hit balls on his golf course.
However, the jury members were shown a video during the short process. It featured a Trump who, while upset and in a bad mood, also appeared combative — and repeatedly denied an alleged rape. Trump also reiterated his longstanding claim that E. Jean Carroll was “not my type” at all.
According to Trump, behind the Carroll lawsuit is “a political attack” by activists from the Democratic Party, who would also finance the process. “That’s the only way they believe they can win the election because they lose, Biden loses,” Trump said. However, he did not produce any evidence for his assertion.
Details and numerous witnesses
The 79-year-old, on the other hand, described in detail the alleged course of Trump’s attack in the New York department store Bergdorf Goodman in the spring of 1996. Accordingly, she was shopping with Trump when he suddenly pushed her against a cloakroom wall. “He bent down and pulled down my tights,” she testified in court. Although she fought back, she was unable to break free from Trump’s grip. Then he raped her.
Her statement was supported by friends of the former columnist for Elle magazine. Accordingly, Carroll confided in them directly. But they were sworn to secrecy by her. Why did Carroll take so long to go public again? Her answer is that the global #MeToo movement gave her the necessary push to do so. Carroll, who once lost her job at “Elle” in the wake of the allegations, says she wants to restore her reputation.
