Cross-examination of writer E Jean Carroll on the second day of her rape trial against Donald Trump was marked by tense exchanges.
In the mid-1990s, Mr. Trump’s counsel interrogated her about the specifics of her allegation that the former president assaulted her in a Manhattan department store.
“I’m telling you that he raped me whether I screamed or not,” she responded at one point when questioned about her reaction.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly refuted her accusation, labeling it “fiction.”
The civil trial for rape and defamation is taking place in a New York federal court and is anticipated to last approximately two weeks.
On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, attempted to cast doubt on Ms. Carroll’s story.
When he repeatedly pointed out that she could not recall the exact date of the alleged rape, Ms. Carroll responded,
“I wish to heaven we could give you a date.”
At one point, the former columnist for Elle magazine admitted that certain aspects of her story were “difficult to comprehend.”
But when Mr. Tacopina stated that Ms. Carroll was “supposed to have been raped,” the author responded swiftly, “Not presumably. “I was raped, that is a fact.”
Mr. Tacopina also argued that Ms. Carroll, a Democrat, only made her accusation against Mr. Trump because she detested his politics and wanted to sell a book proposal.
Ms. Carroll’s allegation that Mr. Trump assaulted her was first made public in 2019, including specifics in her memoir published that year.
She testified that she told two friends about the assault, who gave her contradictory advice regarding whether she should go public with her story.
The columnist responded that the #MeToo movement inspired her to come forward, stating that it made her believe that women telling their stories “could be a way to challenge the culture of sexual violence.”
Mr. Tacopina also asked Ms. Carroll why she did not pursue legal action against Les Moonves, an ex-CBS executive whom she accuses of sexual assault.
She stated that she never sued Mr. Moonves, who has denied her allegations, because he “kept his mouth shut.”
Mr. Trump claimed he was involved in a plot with the Democratic Party. “He stated that I was attempting to sell a book and that I was too ugly to rape,” she testified.
Ms. Carroll stated during direct examination by her own attorney that she was not financially motivated to sue the former president.
“It’s about getting my name back,” she stated in her testimony.
The 79-year-old columnist seeks unspecified damages from the 76-year-old president.
Mr. Trump, who is running for president in 2024, has denied her allegations on multiple occasions.
She was able to file the civil suit after New York passed the Adult Survivors Act in 2022, allowing victims of sexual assault to file litigation in the state for claims that would have otherwise exceeded the statute of limitations by one year.
Also Read: Kelly Price’s Partner, Spouse, Children, And Parents
