'I believed it then and I believe it today': last witness testifies in Trump civil rape trial

[marmar]

(Guardian UK) The last witness in E Jean Carroll’s civil lawsuit accusing Donald Trump of rape and defamation gave evidence on Thursday, ending the evidentiary stage of the trial which is expected to go to the jury in New York early next week.

After both sides rested their cases, the judge, Lewis Kaplan, kept the door open to a late appearance in court by the former US president when he set a deadline of 5pm New York time on Sunday for Trump to submit a request to reopen the hearing. The judge did not say if he would grant it.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump said during a visit to Ireland that he was “going to go back” to confront Carroll in court. However, his lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told the judge that the former president had waved his right to testify and was not expected to appear.

On Wednesday the defense team said its only other witness, a technical expert, was too sick to testify.

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On the final day of testimony, the jury also heard from one of Carroll’s close friends, Carol Martin, who said that the advice columnist visited her within two days of Trump’s alleged attack. She described Carroll as “clearly agitated, anxious”.

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Asked what she made of Carroll’s claim that Trump attacked her, Martin said: “I believed it then and I believe it today.” ...............(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/04/trump-civil-rape-trial-last-witness