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E Jean Carroll takes the stand at $10m Trump defamation trial E Jean Carroll testifies Trump shattered her reputation in $10m defamation trial
(about 1 hour later)
E Jean Carroll looks on during opening arguments on TuesdayE Jean Carroll looks on during opening arguments on Tuesday
E Jean Carroll has taken the stand as the first witness in her second civil defamation trial against Donald Trump in New York. E Jean Carroll has testified that Donald Trump "shattered" her reputation after she accused him of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s.
In May, Mr Trump was found liable for sexually abusing Ms Carroll in the 1990s and defaming her after she went public with her allegations in 2019. With the former president looking on in a federal courtroom in Manhattan, the writer said she wanted him to stop telling lies about her.
The former president continues to say Ms Carroll made up a "fake story". This is the ex-Elle columnist's second civil defamation case against Mr Trump. She is seeking $10m (£8m).
Awarded $5m (£4m) in damages at the first trial, the ex-Elle magazine columnist now seeks a further $10m. Mr Trump has denied her accusation and continues to do so.
Last May, a jury found Mr Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, based on his 2022 remarks about Ms Carroll, when he labelled her accusation a "con job" and "hoax". She was awarded $5m in damages.
The current case focuses on different remarks - which the judge has already ruled were defamatory - that Mr Trump made while he was president in 2019, when he called her allegation "totally false".
This second trial will determine additional damages.
Taking the stand as the first witness on Wednesday morning, the agony aunt behind the long-running Ask E Jean advice column said Mr Trump's attacks on her had destroyed her reputation.
"I am here because Donald Trump assaulted me, and when I wrote about it, he said it never happened," Ms Carroll, 80, said.
"I am here to get my reputation back and to stop him from telling lies about me."
From building a 50-year career as journalist who wrote about life, love, sex and relationships, "now I'm known as a liar, a fraud and a whack job", she added.
Mr Trump, 77, appeared to stare at Ms Carroll and listen intently as she sat on the witness stand.
During jury selection on Tuesday, accuser and accused were in the same room together for what appeared to have been the first time in more than two decades.During jury selection on Tuesday, accuser and accused were in the same room together for what appeared to have been the first time in more than two decades.
Though Mr Trump, 77, was deposed in the earlier trial, he did not attend in person or testify, both of which he is doing voluntarily in these proceedings. Though Mr Trump was deposed in the earlier trial, he did not attend in person or testify, both of which he is doing voluntarily in these proceedings.
Ms Carroll, 80, has said Mr Trump forced himself on her inside a Manhattan department store in the 1990s after a chance encounter with the property tycoon. Ms Carroll has said Mr Trump forced himself on her inside a Manhattan department store in the 1990s after a chance encounter with the property tycoon.
Her accusation, first published in New York magazine in June 2019, was rebutted by Mr Trump from the White House as a "con job" and a "hoax". Her accusation was first published in New York magazine in June 2019.
Trump 'unleashed' followers on Carroll, says lawyerTrump 'unleashed' followers on Carroll, says lawyer
Jury finds Trump sexually abused writer in NY storeJury finds Trump sexually abused writer in NY store
The key moments from Trump's civil rape trialThe key moments from Trump's civil rape trial
The Republican president used "the world's biggest microphone to attack Ms Carroll, to humiliate her and to destroy her reputation", an attorney representing her said in opening statements on Tuesday. Wednesday's proceedings saw a tense exchange between Trump lead attorney Alina Habba and Judge Lewis Kaplan.
Shawn Crowley told the court Mr Trump had "unleashed" death threats, rape threats and online vitriol that caused her client "to live every day in fear". The lawyer reiterated a request for the trial to be delayed so that Mr Trump can attend his mother-in-law's funeral on Thursday rather than sit in court.
"The application is denied," Judge Kaplan said, cutting off Ms Habba's pleas and ordering her to sit down. "I will hear no further argument on it."
Ms Habba said she didn't "like to be spoken to that way".
In opening statements on Tuesday, an attorney representing the plaintiff said the Republican president had "unleashed" death threats, rape threats and online vitriol that caused her client "to live every day in fear".
Calling on jurors to assess both "how much money Donald Trump should have to pay for what he's done" and "how much money it will take to make him stop", Ms Crowley called for a "very significant" sum of damages.Calling on jurors to assess both "how much money Donald Trump should have to pay for what he's done" and "how much money it will take to make him stop", Ms Crowley called for a "very significant" sum of damages.
But Alina Habba, Mr Trump's lead attorney in the case, argued on Tuesday that Ms Carroll did not deserve damages because her accusation of sexual assault had made her famous. But Ms Habba argued on Tuesday that Ms Carroll did not deserve damages because her accusation of sexual assault had made her famous.
"Evidence will show you her career has prospered and she has been thrust back into the limelight Iike she always has wanted," Ms Habba said."Evidence will show you her career has prospered and she has been thrust back into the limelight Iike she always has wanted," Ms Habba said.
"She likes her new brand, and she has been monetising it for years," she added."She likes her new brand, and she has been monetising it for years," she added.
Mr Trump, who also faces 91 felony charges across four criminal cases this year and is awaiting judgment in a New York civil fraud trial, is currently the Republican frontrunner for president. Mr Trump, who also faces 91 felony charges across four criminal cases this year and is awaiting judgement in a New York civil fraud trial, is currently the Republican frontrunner for president.
On Monday, he scored a resounding win - with a record margin of victory - in the Iowa caucuses, the first of the state-by-state contests in the race to become the Republican party's White House candidate.On Monday, he scored a resounding win - with a record margin of victory - in the Iowa caucuses, the first of the state-by-state contests in the race to become the Republican party's White House candidate.
His presence in court on Wednesday comes as he is ramping up campaign appearances in New Hampshire, where the second contest takes place next Tuesday. Mr Trump is ramping up campaign appearances in New Hampshire, where the second contest takes place next Tuesday.
He has repeatedly said he "knows absolutely nothing about" Ms Carroll, including in more than a dozen posts on his Truth Social platform as he attended Tuesday's hearing.He has repeatedly said he "knows absolutely nothing about" Ms Carroll, including in more than a dozen posts on his Truth Social platform as he attended Tuesday's hearing.
Mr Trump is expected to testify in the trial on Monday.Mr Trump is expected to testify in the trial on Monday.
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