Donald Trump briefly testifies at Jean Carroll defamation trial in New York
File photo of Donald Trump and E Jean Carroll.
Former United States president and current presidential frontrunner Donald Trump gave a brief testimony on Thursday (Jan 25) in author E Jean Carroll's second defamation trial against him. According to a report by CNN, Trump's testimony in a New York court lasted for less than five minutes as he sought to avoid a multimillion-dollar jury verdict against him in the civil defamation trial.
Carroll, 80, is suing Trump for hisJune 2019 denials that he raped her in the mid-1990s in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan. The former Elle magazine advice columnist is seeking at least $10 million.
Trump's appearance on witness stand for mere minutes
Amid speculations about his appearance in the trial, Trump was on the witness stand for mere minutes on Thursday, CNN reported. The defence's questions were effectively pre-cleared by Judge Lewis Kaplan as the former president was allowed to re-litigate the verdict from last year, the report added.
“Ms Habba, you may call your next witness,” Judge Kaplan said to Alina Habba, Trump’s lawyer. Trump walked to the witness stand and sat after being sworn in. Habba asked whether Trump stood by his testimony in a previous deposition denying Carroll’s allegations.
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“One hundred per cent, yes,” the 77-year-old replied.
“Did you deny the allegation because Ms Carroll made an accusation,” Habba asked, to which Trump said, "That’s exactly right, yes I did. She said something that I considered a false accusation – totally false."
At this point, Trump was cut off by Judge Kaplan, who did not allow him to testify about denying the claim.
“Did you ever instruct anyone to hurt Ms. Carroll in your statements?” Habba asked her final question. “No I just wanted to defend myself, my family and frankly the presidency,” Trump responded.
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The report said that a cross-examination (of Trump) by Carroll's lawyer was even shorter.
Trump has consistently denied wrongdoing, claiming he had not known Carroll despite photos showing them together, and accusing her of making up the rape to boost sales of her memoir.
The defamation trial came just two days after Trump dominated the New Hampshire GOPpresidential primary. He defeated his arch-rival, Nikki Haley, results projections by American media showed.