Following his resounding success in the Iowa caucuses, Donald Trump found himself back in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday, not basking in political triumph but contending with the ongoing legal battles that have become a fixture in his post-presidential life. Present for jury selection, Trump observed silently as a jury was chosen to determine the financial repercussions of his defamation against E. Jean Carroll, an accuser who previously won a civil fraud trial against the former president.
This marks the second trial involving Carroll, who secured a victory last year when a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing her in the 1990s and defaming her in 2022, resulting in a $5 million damages award. The current trial revolves around additional comments made by Trump in 2019 while he was still president. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan has already ruled that Trump defamed Carroll in these statements, leaving the current jury tasked with deciding the appropriate amount of damages.
In 2019, Trump asserted that Carroll, who had accused him of rape in a luxury department store dressing room, was motivated by financial gain and falsely accused him. The trial proceedings began with Kaplan informing potential jurors that, for the purposes of this trial, Trump’s liability for sexual assault against Carroll had already been established, as well as his knowing falsehoods in the statements made about her.
Trump’s presence in court was accompanied by Kaplan’s decision to maintain juror anonymity, a measure taken in response to the former president’s public statements on the case. Trump continued his commentary on social media during the proceedings, claiming Carroll engaged in “attempted EXTORTION” and accusing Kaplan of bias against him.
As the jury selection process unfolded, Trump remained visibly attentive, turning around to observe responses to specific questions. Notably, Kaplan instructed jurors to use pseudonyms and avoid disclosing their real names due to concerns about Trump’s public statements.
Shawn Crowley, Carroll’s lawyer, asserted that Trump used his significant platform to attack and humiliate her, emphasizing that the falsehood of his statements had already been proven. The jury’s role, according to Crowley, is to determine the financial compensation necessary to address the harm caused by Trump’s actions.
In contrast, Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, portrayed Carroll as benefitting from the attention garnered after accusing Trump, suggesting she embraced the spotlight and enjoyed newfound fame. Despite Trump’s previous statements about potentially testifying, he has not committed to doing so in this trial. Carroll, who testified in the initial trial, is expected to take the stand again.
While Trump left court after the completion of jury selection, Carroll, seated in front of him, did not turn around to acknowledge his presence, emphasizing the gravity of the legal proceedings amidst the political backdrop of the Iowa caucuses.
