1706296146The scene in court this morningAriana Baio watched proceedings in court for The Independent and filed this report:
Deliberations have begun after an odd morning.
Trump stormed out in the middle of the plaintiffs’ closing arguments. It was almost like he couldn’t take hearing the facts of the case over and over again. The vibe of the courtroom completely changed when he exited the room.
Roberta Kaplan noticeably got less defiant in her statements, Alina Habba put her head in her hand, and reporters ran out of the room to see what was happening.
Everyone turned their heads towards the door anytime they heard a noise to check to see if it was Trump walking back in.
Noticeably, he returned for Habba’s closing arguments for the defence.
E Jean Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan gives her summation to the jury, shortly before Donald Trump stormed out of court
(AP)
In her summation of the case, Kaplan mentioned that Trump recently said on Truth Social that he was going to continue denying Carroll’s allegations “a thousand times”.
She said the least the jury could do is award the compensatory damages of $12m and noted that Trump was not present at the last trial, and he only came to this one because all he cared about was his money. She reminded the jury that Trump is worth billions of dollars so they should award an “unusually high” amount in punitive damages.
Attorney Alina Habba points to her client, former President Donald Trump (who returned to court after his earlier exit), as she delivers her closing arguments
(AP)
Habba meanwhile, mocked Carroll for not notifying more people that she felt upset or unsafe. She told the jury it was Carroll‘s obligation to mitigate the amount of backlash she received from Trump and that she had enjoyed positive attention after Trump made those statements.
It’s worth noting when the judge was instructing the jury he told them specifically that Habba was incorrect in saying that Carroll had to mitigate harm and they should not consider the positive attention she received when awarding, if any, damages.
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 19:09
1706295708E Jean Carroll defamation trial: Deliberations underwayDeliberations have now begun in the E Jean Carroll v Donald J Trump defamation trial.
After hearing instructions from Judge Lewis Kaplan the jury was sent out at 1.40pm.
There will be no notes or verdict for at least 40 minutes while they have lunch.
Court will break at 4.30pm if there is no verdict.
Stay tuned…
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 19:01
1706293818President was ‘never involved’ in any deals, says Hunter Biden’s ex-business partnerRob Walker, a longtime friend and business associate of Hunter Biden, has told the House Oversight Committee that President Joe Biden was “never involved” in any of the “legitimate business activities” he and the president’s son undertook in the early 2000s.
Mr Walker, who gave evidence in a closed-door deposition before the Republican-led panel on Friday, told committee members that Hunter Biden, a Yale-educated attorney and former lobbyist, “always” took pains to ensure a “clear boundary” between his business activities and his father.
“To be clear, President Biden — while in office or as a private citizen — was never involved in any of the business activities we pursued,” he said, according to a copy of his opening statement obtained by The Independent.
Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC:
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 18:30
1706291809Jury instructed that sexual asault and defamation occurredOliver O’Connell26 January 2024 17:56
1706291272Carroll lawyer notes Trump’s abrupt exit in closingE Jean Carroll’s lawyer Shawn Crowley noted Donald Trump’s sudden exit from court as closing arguments began. In her rebuttal, she noted: “According to the defence, he gets to ignore a jury verdict. You saw how he behaved at trial – he walked out while Ms Kaplan was speaking.”
“This is not a political rally. This is a court of law. Donald Trump is not the victim. Make him pay enough so that he will stop.”
Judge Lewis Kaplan is now delivering the jury charge.
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 17:47
1706290374Colorado voters vying to bar Trump from state primary file Supreme Court briefThe group of Colorado voters vying to keep Donald Trump off the state’s primary ballot have filed their brief with the US Supreme Court arguing that the former president is not eligible for office based on section three of the 14th Amendment.
Oral arguments in Trump v Anderson are scheduled for 8 February.
The Trump team filed its brief last week:
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 17:32
1706289788Carroll attorney offers rebuttalFollowing Alina Habba’s closing argument in defence of Donald Trump, E Jean Carroll’s lawyer Shawn Crowley gave a rebuttal to the idea that her client’s life had gotten better following her allegations.
Habba contended that Ms Carroll does not live in fear and compared the abuse she endures to “mean tweets” and that while they should be “universally condemned”, the former president should not have to pay for the threats as he did not direct them.
Crowley responded in rebuttal: “The idea that the positive attention that Carroll’s gotten somehow cancels the harm from Trump for years?”
“That’s nonsense.”
Crowley also hit out at Habba’s remarks about Mr Trump’s “truth”.
“Ladies and gentlemen, his truth was a lie!”
She characterised Mr Trump’s statements about Ms Carroll as “dripping with malice, with hate,” to this day.
“When the president speaks, the world listens,” she said. “The hate mail, the threats that she’s gotten — they parrot Donald Trump’s words.”
Summarising the case, Crowley added: “Defamation of a woman who’s been sexually assaulted. Defamation by the man who sexually assaulted her.”
Further responding to the claim from the Trump team that Ms Carroll is enjoying her new fame, Crowley noted: “Two things can be true at once: You can be wrecked inside but also have moments of triumph.”
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 17:23
1706288893Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 17:08
1706288819Trump lawyer Alina Habba claims Ms Carroll is “enjoying this” in her closing argument.
“She’s enjoying this. Let’s not forget the fact that Ms Carroll is making more money now than in 2019 when she brought this up.”
Habba also raised Judge Kaplan’s ire again:
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 17:06
1706287261Trump gripes on Truth Social as defence team presents closing argumentHe began by posting:
We asked for one Trial, on the E. Jean Carroll False Accusation Case, but the Judge wouldn’t give it to us, he made us have two Trials on the same Hoax, and then, on the second Trial, they were allowed to use whatever information they wanted from the first, but we weren’t allowed to use anything! As an example, the Depositions they’re using on the second Trial were taken in the first. He wouldn’t allow us to use the totally exonerating Anderson Cooper/CNN Interview on either trial, but none of it in the second. Our Legal System is in shambles! This is another Biden Demanded Witch Hunt against his Political Opponent, funded and managed by Radical Left Democrats. The Courts are totally stacked against me, have never been used against a Political Opponent, like this, but in the end, we will win it all, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Mr Trump posted:
Fani Willis should immediately be forced to drop her corrupt PERSECUTION of me, and 19 other innocent people. This “case” was brought, it has just been learned, in Total and Complete Coordination with Crooked Joe Biden’s White House, and the DOJ. Her boyfriend/lover went to the White House on numerous occasions in order to coordinate their “Hunt for Trump,” and charged large fees in doing so. This is now a fully debunked and disgraced Witch Hunt that is a blight on the Great State of Georgia. The whole World is talking about it! I did nothing wrong and, to the best of my knowledge, neither did anyone else. This case must be dropped with apologies being made to all of those who were so unfairly treated!
Oliver O’Connell26 January 2024 16:41
