Jury deliberations began in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll against former President Donald Trump, as jurors weigh whether there is enough evidence to find Trump liable for sexual assault.
Closing arguments in the case, which began on April 25, wrapped up on Monday, as Trump's defense lawyers sought to discredit Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist who accused Trump of raping her in a Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York in the mid-1990s. He denied the accusations and called them a "hoax" and Carroll a "liar."
JOE TACOPINA: E. JEAN CARROLL TWISTED PEOPLE'S FEELINGS OF 'HATE' TOWARD TRUMP
Jurors will determine whether Trump is liable for civil battery and defamation, which could mark the first time in the history of the United States that a president is found liable for sexual assault. The standard for the jury to make the determination in this case, the preponderance of the evidence, is lower than in criminal court, where the jury needs to find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If Trump is found liable, the jury will also award financial damages to Carroll, who sued for an unspecified amount. Carroll's attorneys presented several pieces of evidence, such as the former president's past derogatory comments toward women and other women's testimony regarding his alleged sexual misconduct toward them.
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll's lawyer, rebutted defense attorney Joe Tacopina's claim that Carroll's allegations were a "coordinated conspiracy" against Trump on Monday. She also blasted Tacopina for asking her client why she didn't scream for help when Trump was allegedly raping her.
“Donald Trump wants and needs you to disregard all the evidence that you heard in this case ... Does that make any sense here at all?” Roberta Kaplan asked.
On the other side, Tacopina said Carroll and her team had twisted people's feelings of "hate" to win her case, and her story was "unbelievable."
"They are using the art of distraction. They are trying to take parts of Donald Trump you hate and stretch them over her story," Tacopina said. "If this weren't about Trump, we wouldn't be here today. No way.
"The whole story is an unbelievable work of fiction,” he said, adding, “She was not raped at Bergdorf Goodman and was not defamed.”
Trump never appeared in court and missed the final deadline set by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan. The judge said he would consider reopening the defense's case, which was settled last week, if the former president decided he wanted to testify.
However, the former president took to Truth Social to say he was being silenced, despite being offered a chance to testify, and vowed to appeal the decision if it's not in his favor.
"Waiting for a jury decision on a False Accusation where I, despite being a current political candidate and leading all others in both parties, am not allowed to speak or defend myself, even as hard-nosed reporters scream questions about this case at me," he said.
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"I will, therefore, not speak until after the trial but will appeal the unconstitutional silencing of me, as a candidate, no matter the outcome!"
It is unknown how long jury deliberations could last. The nine-person jury, comprised of six men and three women, must be unanimous to hold Trump liable.