Former US President Donald Trump is set to face trial on April 25 in one of E. Jean Carroll’s two lawsuits against him. Carroll is an ex-Elle magazine advice columnist who has accused Trump of rape in the mid-1990s. The trial will take place in Manhattan federal court, where Carroll is suing Trump for defamation and battery.
Carroll claims that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in midtown Manhattan in 1995 or 1996. Trump has denied the allegations, and his lawyers have made multiple attempts to delay Carroll’s case.
The defamation suit centers on an October 2022 post on Trump’s Truth Social platform, in which he called Carroll’s rape claim a “hoax and a lie.” Carroll argues that the statement was defamatory and that it damaged her reputation.
Carroll is also suing for battery under a new state law in New York that allows adults to sue their alleged abusers within a one-year window, even if the legal deadlines to sue have passed. She claims that Trump’s actions constitute battery, as he allegedly “penetrated” her against her will.
The trial may last five to seven days, during which Carroll is expected to testify. Two friends she spoke to soon after the alleged rape, Lisa Birnbach and Carol Martin, are also expected to testify. Two other women who claim Trump sexually assaulted them, Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, are on Carroll’s witness list. Jurors will also be able to hear the infamous 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump made graphic and vulgar comments about women.
Trump is not required to testify in person, and his lawyers have asked that jurors be instructed not to hold it against him if he skips the trial altogether. Carroll plans to appear in court every day.
Legal experts say that Trump has a strong incentive to settle the case to avoid the public airing of evidence, regardless of its truth. According to Barbara McQuade, a University of Michigan law professor, and former US Attorney in Detroit, Carroll may prioritize the public airing of her story over any monetary settlement.
The trial is unprecedented, as no former US President has previously faced criminal charges. Trump’s legal troubles have continued to mount since leaving office, and the outcome of this trial may have significant implications for his future legal prospects.