Judge Denies Trump Request to Delay Rape, Defamation Trial

Trial over E. Jean Carroll's allegations is slated to begin April 25
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 12, 2023 11:07 AM CDT
Updated Apr 14, 2023 2:00 AM CDT
Trump Lawyer Requests 'Cooling Off' Period in Civil Case
Former President Donald Trump is escorted to a courtroom, April 4, 2023, in New York.   (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
UPDATE Apr 14, 2023 2:00 AM CDT

So far, at least, former President Trump's rape and defamation civil trial is not being delayed. After lawyer Joe Tacopina requested a delay due to Trump's historic indictment, another Trump lawyer made a separate request for a delay—but a judge on Thursday rejected that one, CBS News reports. The second lawyer's reasoning had to do with accuser E. Jean Carroll's legal fees; Trump's team recently discovered some of them have been paid by a billionaire Democratic donor, CNN reports. The judge did grant a request by Trump's lawyers to gather more evidence regarding who is paying Carroll's legal fees, but stressed that this will not delay the April 25 trial start date.

Apr 12, 2023 11:07 AM CDT

A "cooling off" period is needed in order to assure former President Trump's right to a fair trial in E. Jean Carroll's defamation case, argues Trump's attorney. His team wants to see the trial delayed four weeks from its scheduled April 25 start, citing his unprecedented indictment. The key argument from Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina, per Politico:

  • "Holding the trial in this case a mere three weeks after these historic events will guarantee that many, if not most, prospective jurors will have the criminal allegations top of mind when judging President Trump against Ms. Carroll’s allegations." He noted the media coverage of the indictment was "remarkable for its volume and incitement of animus towards President Trump."

The AP reports that Carroll filed the case in November minutes after a temporary state law kicked in that permits adult rape victims to sue their abusers outside the normal statute of limitations; Carroll alleges Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in 1996. It will be up to a jury to decide if the rape occurred and if Trump defamed Carroll in his repeated denials of her claim. Politico's read on the situation is that US District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan seems "intent on charging ahead," noting he recently ruled that jurors in the civil trial could retain anonymity due to potential safety threats. (More Donald Trump stories.)

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