Merrick Garland has agreed with the call for a ‘speedy’ Trump trial. A lawyer for E Jean Carroll has stated that Donald Trump’s infamous Access Hollywood tape from 2005 will not be put before the New York jury as they consider the amount of defamation compensation he must pay after being found liable for sexually assaulting her. The jury is deliberating on whether Trump owes further damages to Ms Carroll after a previous jury awarded her $5 million when they ruled he had abused the former magazine columnist in a department store dressing room in 1996 and then defamed her in 2022.
The attorney, Roberta Kaplan, indicated that the tape would not be shown in order to keep the focus of the trial on the case at hand. She also mentioned that fellow accusers Natasha Stoynoff and Jessica Leeds would not be called as witnesses for the same reason.
The former president could testify as soon as today, just hours ahead of the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, pitting him against rival Nikki Haley.
In other news, Trump has been very active on social media, attacking his former UN ambassador Nikki Haley. Additionally, there have been concerns over his mental health and cognitive decline, especially after a recent speech in which he appeared to be confused about the history of the First and Second World Wars.
Despite Trump’s legal troubles, he has attended the funeral of Melania’s mother in Florida. Meanwhile, Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley has expressed concerns about the prospect of a rematch between Trump and Joe Biden.
The ongoing trial and the potential testimony from Trump continue to make headlines as the 2024 presidential race heats up.