E Jean Carroll defamation trial against Trump to resume after Covid delay
E Jean Carroll’s defamation trial against Donald Trump is poised to continue Thursday in Manhattan federal court days after a Covid scare delayed proceedings.
Trump’s lawyers indicated earlier this week that they expect to call the former president as a witness. Carroll’s lead attorney, Roberta Kaplan, on Monday said her team’s remaining witness testimony would be “very short”, meaning that Trump could take the stand on Thursday if he did follow through with his planned testimony.
The possible courtroom showdown was initially expected to unfold on Monday. A juror fell ill with Covid symptoms en route to the courthouse, however, derailing proceedings.
Carroll’s lead attorney, Roberta Kaplan, argued that proceedings should continue without this juror. It was subsequently revealed in court, however, that Trump’s team had been exposed to Covid.
Trump’s lead attorney in this case, Alina Habba, said that she had been present at a dinner with her parents several days prior and that at least one of them had come down with Covid. Habba on Monday claimed to feel under the weather.
The judge agreed to postpone proceedings until Tuesday so that parties on Carroll’s case, as well as jurors, could take Covid tests. Habba then pointed out that Trump, who was going to testify, would be busy campaigning on Tuesday, and asked for another postponement.
“My client reminded me, and I am in trial mode, I apologize, so tomorrow is the New Hampshire primary, and he needs to be in New Hampshire. He was planning to testify,” Habba said. “Clearly, he flew in last night to be here. I would just need his testimony to be Wednesday in light of the news about the juror today.”
Judge Lewis Kaplan said he would not decide immediately. Later that day, a court filing revealed that proceedings would be postponed until Wednesday.
A court filing on Tuesday indicated proceedings would be postponed yet again until Thursday. No explanation for either postponement was given.