In a courtroom drama that unfolded earlier today, the defamation trial involving former President Trump reached an intriguing juncture before breaking for lunch. The morning session saw attorney Alina Habba, representing the former president, attempting to have the case dismissed, only to be denied by Judge Lewis Kaplan. Habba argued that the plaintiff, Ms. Carol, had failed to prove her case and emphasized that the trial was solely focused on determining damages rather than the facts of the case.
It is worth noting that a previous jury ruling in May had held Donald Trump liable for sexually assaulting Ms. Carol, a writer, in a dressing room of a Manhattan department store back in 2019. The same jury also concluded that his denials of the incident and subsequent attacks on Ms. Carol, both in public and on social media, amounted to defamation.
During the morning proceedings, Habba asserted that there was no causal connection between President Trump's statements and any adverse consequences that Ms. Carol may have experienced. In her view, the plaintiff had failed to demonstrate how the former president's remarks had directly caused harm. This argument, however, was promptly rejected by the judge.
The first witness to testify on behalf of President Trump's defense was Carol Martin, a former television news anchor and a close friend of Ms. Carol for over three decades. Uncomfortable moments arose when text messages between Martin and Ms. Carol were presented, revealing disparaging comments made by Martin about her friend. Notably, Martin described Ms. Carol's behavior as 'scary' and likened her to Santa Claus at a Christmas parade. Martin went on to suggest that Ms. Carol was a 'drug addict' whose drug of choice was her own self. These messages were intended to support the defense's contention that Ms. Carol was driven by a desire for publicity and book sales rather than the truth.
As the trial broke for lunch, all eyes were on the potential testimony of the former president himself. A deposition tape, played earlier in the trial, hinted at the possibility of Donald Trump taking the stand later in the day. The defense sought to explore his state of mind concerning the allegations made by Ms. Carol.
The courtroom drama is set to resume and hopes are high for a decisive ruling on whether the former president will indeed testify. This trial has captivated the public's attention due to its high-profile nature and the significant implications it holds for the individual involved. As the proceedings continue, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on this consequential defamation trial.
