Former President Trump said he will miss E. Jean Carroll’s trial on Thursday so he can attend his mother-in-law’s funeral, criticizing the judge presiding over the case as “disgusting” for not delaying court proceedings that day.
“As you know, the first lady’s mother passed away. The funeral is tomorrow,” Trump said Wednesday during a news conference in New York City after spending the day in court. “And we would have assumed that for a trial like this, it is not an emergency in terms of time, the judge would have been very kind and they would have let me go because I want to be at every day of the trial because I saw what happened. in the first one where the lawyers asked me a lot not to go, they said it’s degrading, there was no evidence, there was nothing, so I didn’t go, and I understood exactly what he meant when he said it was degrading. There was no reason to go and you shouldn’t go.”
Trump said that this time, because “the judge radically hates Trump,” he would “go every day.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference after attending the second civil trial of E. Jean Carroll in New York City January 17, 2024. REUTERS
“So it happened in a very terrible way because we asked to delay the trial for a day so we could go to the funeral tomorrow and then we could start on Friday or Monday or whenever they wanted,” Trump explained. “And he said, absolutely not, the trial will continue as it is.”
Trump said the judge said, “You can go to the funeral or the trial, but you can’t do both.”
“I thought it was terrible. “I thought it was terrible,” Trump continued. “So I would rather I miss the funeral or go to the funeral and miss the trial.”
E. Jean Carroll leaves federal court with her attorney Roberta Kaplan amid her defamation trial against former President Donald Trump on January 17, 2024. Shutterstock
And he added: “That is a nasty man. He is a nasty judge. He’s a guy who hates Trump. And it’s obvious to everyone in the court that, frankly, it’s a disgrace what’s happening. That is a misfortune.”
Trump was referring to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who he said is a “Clinton appointee.”
Former first lady Melania Trump’s mother, Amalija Knavs, died last week at the age of 78.
Former President Trump said he will attend the funeral of his mother-in-law, Amalija Kna, on Thursday. Paulette Martin / SplashNews.com
“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,” the former first lady wrote in a post on X.
“Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth and dignity,” Melania wrote. “She was completely devoted to her husband, her daughters, her grandson and her son-in-law.”
“We will miss her beyond measure and will continue to honor and love her legacy,” he added.
Amalija Knavs passed away last week at the age of 78. Paulette Martin / SplashNews.com
After winning the Iowa Caucuses on Monday night, Trump thanked his late mother-in-law in his victory speech.
“I want to thank my incredible wife, first lady, I’ll say former and maybe future, but more importantly than Melania, I want to thank her incredible, beautiful mother who passed away a few days ago,” Trump said. “And she’s up there, way up there. She looks down and is so proud of us. And I just want to tell Amalia that you are special, one of the most special people I have ever met.”
The funeral is expected to be held Thursday in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump has been in court this week as part of a civil defamation damages trial stemming from Carroll’s lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s.
The second trial comes after a federal jury in New York City decided in May that Trump was not responsible for rape, but was responsible for sexual assault and defamation. The former president has been sentenced to pay 5 million dollars.
Carroll, 79, alleged that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across from Trump Tower in Manhattan sometime in 1996.
A sketch shows E. Jean Carroll testifying before Judge Lewis Kaplan as former US President Trump watches footage of himself appearing at a CNN town hall event during the second civil trial. REUTERS
According to Carroll, the two had a chance encounter at the store, where Trump was buying a gift for “a little girl.” She said he asked her for advice and the two went shopping together before he pushed her into a dressing room and assaulted her.
Trump vehemently denied the allegation, and his denial resulted in Carroll slapping Trump with a defamation lawsuit, alleging that his response caused damage to his reputation.
Trump and his legal team insist that Carroll’s allegations are fabricated, and the former president’s initial reaction included an accusation that Carroll was motivated by wanting to sell copies of her book.
Former President Donald Trump’s court appearance this week is part of a civil defamation damages trial stemming from Carroll’s lawsuit alleging he sexually assaulted her. fake images
In an exclusive interview just after the jury returned the verdict, Trump told Fox News Digital that he “has no idea who this woman is.”
“This verdict is a disgrace,” he told Fox News Digital at the time. “It is a continuation of the largest political witch hunt in history.”
The former president told reporters last week that he plans to testify in her defense in the current trial, saying he will “explain that I don’t know who the hell she is.”
Carroll, 80, plans to testify about the damage to his career and reputation that resulted from Trump’s public statements. She seeks $10 million in compensatory damages and millions more in punitive damages.
Nine jurors were selected for the trial, which Kaplan said will likely last three to five days. Testimony will begin Wednesday.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn