Former President Donald Trump is pushing to delay the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial, which is set to commence on January 15, 2024, in Manhattan. His legal team has filed a request with the appeals court seeking a 90-day extension to delay the trial and potentially take the case to the US Supreme Court. The request is aimed at giving Trump the opportunity to fully litigate his entitlement to present an immunity defense in the underlying proceedings.
The federal appeals court had previously denied Trump’s request to stay a defamation suit filed by E Jean Carroll. In September, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Trump cannot assert absolute presidential immunity, which has led to the current legal battle. Judge Lewis Kaplan, a Clinton appointee, ruled earlier that Trump is liable for defamatory statements he made about E. Jean Carroll after she accused him of rape. This ruling has set the stage for a high-stakes legal showdown.
The case stems from the allegations made by E. Jean Carroll in 2019, claiming that Donald Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s. Trump has vehemently denied the allegations and publicly dismissed Carroll as a “whack job” who is “not my type.” However, a Manhattan jury reached a verdict in the E. Jean Carroll rape/defamation case, finding Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages, a decision that Trump is currently appealing.
During a CNN town hall in May, Trump launched a scathing verbal attack on E. Jean Carroll, labeling her accusation as “fake” and “made-up.” This led to further legal action as Carroll sought at least $10 million in damages in a separate defamation case. The ongoing legal battle between Trump and Carroll has garnered widespread attention and has raised critical questions about presidential immunity and accountability for defamatory statements.
The latest development in the case sees Trump’s legal team seeking a delay in the defamation trial to explore potential avenues for appeal, including the option to take the case to the US Supreme Court. The legal maneuvering underscores the significance of the case and the potential implications for future defamation lawsuits involving public figures. The trial, scheduled to begin next month, has become a focal point in the broader debate about presidential accountability and the limits of immunity for past actions.
As the legal battle continues to unfold, all eyes are on the upcoming decision regarding the potential delay of the trial and the possibility of a Supreme Court appeal. The outcome of this case will have far-reaching implications for defamation law and the boundaries of presidential immunity, shaping the legal landscape for future disputes involving public figures and allegations of defamation.
