Trump’s Lawyers Denied Mistrial Motion in Carroll’s Lawsuit

Last Updated on September 11, 2023 by SPN Editor

Washington (SPN) | Former President Donald Trump’s lawyers have been denied a mistrial motion in Carroll’s lawsuit.

Judge Lewis A. Kaplan rejected the motion after Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, accused him of making unfair rulings against the former president. Tacopina had asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit or allow Trump’s counsel more freedom in questioning witnesses.

During Carroll’s testimony, Tacopina had questioned her account of the alleged attack, including why she did not scream and why the store was relatively empty at the time.

He also wanted to ask about financial support Carroll received from a billionaire entrepreneur who has donated to Democratic causes. However, Judge Kaplan had previously barred this line of questioning.

The civil trial stems from a lawsuit filed in November 2022 after New York passed a law eliminating the statute of limitations for one year for adults claiming they were sexually assaulted.

E. Jean Carroll, a 76-year-old author, is suing former President Donald Trump for allegedly raping her in the 1990s and then defaming her when she came forward in 2019.

Carroll claims that an unexpected encounter brought them together on a day that was “fun and flirtatious” until Trump became violent in the dressing room.

During her testimony, she stated that “Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen.”

Carroll also testified that she wouldn’t have come forward with her accusation if not for the #MeToo movement, which gained prominence in 2017.

The movement encouraged people to speak out about their experiences with sexual harassment and assault, particularly in the workplace.

Trump has denied the allegations. Carroll’s lawsuit is another attempt and accused her of lying for personal gain. He also stated that he has never met her and claimed that the allegations are politically motivated.

In his decision, Judge Kaplan rejected Tacopina’s accusations of unfair rulings and upheld objections to some of his questions during Carroll’s testimony.

The judge stated that the questions were not relevant to the case and were intended to distract from the allegations against Trump. Kaplan also stated that he saw no reason to declare a mistrial, as the trial had been proceeding fairly.

Despite the denial of the mistrial motion, Trump’s counsel will still be restricted in questioning witnesses.

Judge Kaplan stated that he would not allow them to pursue lines of questioning that are not relevant to the case or are intended to harass or embarrass Carroll. However, he did allow the defense to ask questions related to Carroll’s credibility as a witness.

Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, was pleased with the judge’s ruling, stating that it reaffirmed the importance of focusing on the allegations against Trump.

She also criticized Tacopina’s attempts to distract from the case by bringing up irrelevant issues.