Former President Trump to Miss E. Jean Carroll Trial to Attend Mother-in-Law’s Funeral
Former President Trump announced that he will be absent from the E. Jean Carroll trial in order to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral. He criticized the judge presiding over the case for not postponing the proceedings for a day. Trump expressed his disappointment during a press conference in New York City, stating that he wanted to be present for every trial day after being advised not to attend the first trial. He referred to the judge as a “radical Trump hater” and vowed to attend all the trial days this time.
The judge, Lewis A. Kaplan, allegedly refused to delay the trial, forcing Trump to choose between attending the funeral or the trial. Trump condemned the judge’s decision, calling him a “nasty man” and accusing him of being biased against Trump. He also mentioned that Judge Kaplan was appointed by Clinton.
Former first lady Melania Trump’s mother, Amalija Knavs, passed away recently at the age of 78. Melania shared a heartfelt message about her mother’s passing, describing her as a strong and devoted woman.
Trump expressed his gratitude to his late mother-in-law during his victory speech after winning the Iowa Caucuses. He acknowledged her presence in spirit and praised her as one of the most special people he has ever known.
The funeral is scheduled to take place in Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Trump has been involved in a civil defamation damages trial related to E. Jean Carroll’s allegations of sexual assault against him. Carroll claimed that Trump attacked her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. The second trial follows a previous verdict where Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation but not rape. He was ordered to pay $5 million in damages.
Carroll alleged that Trump assaulted her after they bumped into each other at the store. Trump denied the accusation and faced a defamation lawsuit from Carroll. He and his legal team maintain that Carroll’s claims are false and driven by a desire to sell her book.
In an interview, Trump expressed his lack of knowledge about Carroll and criticized the verdict as part of a political witch hunt. He plans to testify in his defense during the current trial.
Carroll, on the other hand, intends to testify about the damage caused to her career and reputation by Trump’s public statements. She is seeking $10 million in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages.
The trial, expected to last three to five days, began with the selection of nine jurors. Testimony will commence on Wednesday.