Former President Donald Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, announced today that Trump plans to testify in the ongoing defamation and sex abuse case against him by writer E. Jean Carroll. However, due to the New Hampshire primary, Trump is unable to appear in court tomorrow. Habba stated that Trump will testify on Wednesday instead.
Judge Kaplan, who is presiding over the case, did not make an immediate decision on this matter. In previous instances, Judge Kaplan has been reluctant to accommodate scheduling requests related to Trump's busy schedule. Last week, Habba requested an adjournment for Trump to attend his mother-in-law's funeral, but the judge denied this request, asserting that court proceedings would not be rearranged for that purpose.
Interestingly, Judge Kaplan told Habba that circumstances may lead to her request being granted, though it was unclear exactly what he meant by that. Presently, there is a sick juror and individuals potentially exposed to COVID-19, which may necessitate postponing the trial until Wednesday. It remains to be seen how accommodating the judge will be in light of these circumstances.
It is worth noting that during the defamation and sex abuse case's initial stages earlier this year, Trump did not attend any of the court proceedings. However, with the campaign season in full swing now, he has been more present in court.
No further updates are available at this time. Both Trump and E. Jean Carroll left the courtroom after it was adjourned due to a sick juror.
