U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan dismissed former President Donald Trump’s plea for a mistrial in the contentious E. Jean Carroll case. The crux of Trump’s motion rested on Ms. Carroll’s admission in court that she had deleted numerous emails and social media messages containing alleged death threats.
These threats, her lawyers assert, stemmed from remarks made by Trump himself, forming a cornerstone of her multi-million-dollar damages claim.
Alina Habba, representing Trump, lodged the request for a mistrial late in January, citing the deletion of evidence as a violation of due process. However, Judge Kaplan swiftly rebuffed Trump’s plea in a decisive order on February 7.
“Mr. Trump’s motion lacked merit,” wrote Judge Kaplan, dismissing Trump’s claims outright.
Kaplan rejects argument
Despite the setback, Trump remains resolute in his innocence and has vowed to appeal the ruling. His attorney, Ms. Habba, had implored the judge to intervene, arguing that the deletion of crucial evidence undermined the fairness of the trial.
In her plea to the judge, Ms. Habba emphasized the significance of the deleted messages, alleging that they formed the basis of Ms. Carroll’s emotional distress claim. However, Judge Kaplan rejected this argument, asserting that the timing and relevance of the alleged deletions were insufficient to warrant a mistrial.
“Even if the Court were inclined to grant any relief to Mr. Trump, which it is not, he would not be justified in receiving anything more than what already occurred during trial,” Judge Kaplan stated emphatically.
The judge’s ruling marks a pivotal moment in the high-profile legal battle between Trump and Ms. Carroll, underscoring the challenges and complexities surrounding allegations of defamation and the preservation of evidence in the digital age.
As both parties brace for the next phase of litigation, the fallout from this case is sure to reverberate across the political and legal landscape for some time to come.
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