Former President Donald Trump walked out of a New York courtroom during closing arguments in the defamation trial brought by the writer E. Jean Carroll, who alleges he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, was about 10 minutes into her closing argument when Trump, who was seated at the defense table, got up and walked out of the room.
Before leaving, Kaplan repeatedly told the jury that Trump sexually assaulted Carroll, prompting the former president to shake his head. She then moved on to Trump’s repeated defamatory statements, and said that “typically when people are held liable for false and defamatory lies, they stop.”
“He continued to defame Ms. Carroll even as this trial was ongoing,” Kaplan said.
Carroll is seeking at least $10 million in the case, which is the second defamation suit she has filed against Trump. The judge overseeing the current case has already ruled that Trump’s statements denying her claims were defamatory. The jury in the trial is tasked with deciding what damages Carroll is entitled to receive.
In the trial to resolve Carroll’s first suit in May 2023, a jury found Trump liable for defamation and sexual abuse, and awarded Carroll $5 million.
The jury is expected to begin deliberations as early as Friday, following closing arguments.
Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.
Create your free account or log in
for more features.
