Trump in court as lawyers appeal $5M E. Jean Carroll verdict for retrial

Former President Donald Trump made an appearance in a New York City courtroom on Friday morning as his legal team sought to contest the validity of evidence used in the E. Jean Carroll sexual abuse case.

During the session at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, attorney John Sauer dedicated about ten minutes to arguing that the evidence presented in the trial, in which Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, was “highly inadmissible” and requested a new trial.

Sauer described the case as a “quintessential he-said-she-said situation,” contending that the allegations and some of the witnesses involved were motivated by political considerations.

This argument is part of Trump’s appeal regarding the $5 million verdict from the first Carroll v. Trump trial.

In May 2023, a jury concluded that Trump was liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in 1996.

However, the panel of judges showed skepticism regarding Sauer’s argument.

Judge Denny Chin cautioned Sauer about the challenging road ahead for the former president’s appeal. “It’s very hard to overturn a jury verdict based on evidentiary rulings,” Judge Chin remarked. “So why should we order a new trial here?”

Carroll, a former magazine writer, has accused Trump of pinning her against the wall in the dressing room and groping her against her will.

Despite the accusations, Trump has consistently denied ever meeting Carroll, even though evidence exists of the two being photographed together in the late 1980s. In response to his denial while serving as President, Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit, alleging that Trump’s statements harmed her reputation.

Despite the jury’s ruling against him, Trump maintains that the allegations are false.

Earlier this year, another jury found Trump liable for defamation, resulting in an award of $83.3 million to Carroll. However, Friday’s oral arguments were not related to that case.

Carroll attended the federal court hearing, where her attorney Roberta Kaplan countered Sauer’s assertions by stating that the case was simply a “routine application of the rules of evidence.”

The proceedings involved both parties discussing the specific evidence presented at trial, including the infamous Access Hollywood tape and testimonies from women who made similar allegations against Trump.

Sauer suggested that the judge overseeing the original case, Judge Lewis Kaplan, erred by permitting certain pieces of evidence to be admitted.

He further claimed that Judge Kaplan limited the cross-examination opportunities during the trial.

Kaplan countered that relevant evidence was rightly included, pointing out that Trump had the chance to present his defense but opted not to participate in the original trial proceedings.

The panel of judges in the Second Circuit is expected to make a decision later regarding whether or not Trump will receive a new trial.

Shortly after the courtroom session, Trump traveled to Trump Tower, where he held a press conference discussing his appeal and touched upon various topics including his ongoing legal challenges, the Biden administration, Carroll’s allegations, and his campaign.

During the press conference, Trump repeated claims that have been disproven by two separate juries regarding Carroll’s allegations. “It’s an appeal of a ridiculous verdict of a woman I have never met,” he stated. “She wrote a book and made a ridiculous story up,” he insisted. “This is a disgraceful case, it’s about a former president of the United States who is now leading in the polls to be president again.”