Trump deposed in E. Jean Carroll defamation case linked to rape accusation
Former US president Donald Trump
Former US president Donald Trump has given sworn testimony on Wednesday in response to a defamation lawsuit by magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, who claims that he sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.
Carroll's attorneys had the opportunity to question Trump during the deposition over the alleged assault as well as remarks he made in 2019 when she first shared her account in public.
The deposition's outcome was not immediately made public. It's also not clear if Trump appeared physically or via video link.
“We’re pleased that on behalf of our client, E. Jean Carroll, we were able to take Donald Trump’s deposition today. We are not able to comment further,” the law firm representing her, Kaplan Hecker & Fink, said in a statement.
Trump has said Carroll’s rape allegation is “a hoax and a lie.”
His legal team fought for years to put off his deposition in the lawsuit, which was brought when the Republican was still in office. Last week, a federal court denied Trump's plea for a further delay, stating that he couldn't“run the clock out on plaintiff’s attempt to gain a remedy for what allegedly was a serious wrong.”
Any statements made by Trump in his deposition could possibly be used as proof in a future civil trial. Carroll's allegations have not been the subject of any criminal charges against him, and they are unlikely to be. Criminal prosecution for suspected sexual assaults from the 1990s is no longer possible.
Civil cases alleging sexual assault were also subject to same legal deadlines.
However, New York lawmakers recently granted individuals a one-year opportunity to file civil court lawsuits for historical sexual assault accusations.
Carroll ultimately decided to file a defamation lawsuit against Trump over remarks he made in 2019 in which he denied any wrongdoing. She claims that his denials and criticisms of her integrity and credibility hurt her reputation.
(With inputs from agencies)
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