- Donald Trump instructed reporters in Eire that he’ll ‘in all probability’ attend his Manhattan civil rape trial.
- Trump’s lawyer says he will not attend or testify, and rested Thursday with out presenting a case.
- A decide has given Trump till Sunday morning to vary his thoughts and determine to take the stand.
A federal decide in Manhattan has given Donald Trump till Sunday morning to determine, as soon as and for all, if he’ll give what can be shock testimony in his personal protection towards author E. Jean Carroll’s claims that he raped and defamed her.
The choice deadline was set late Thursday by US District Courtroom Decide Lewis Kaplan after Trump’s lead lawyer, Joe Tacopina, rested the protection case as promised with out presenting a single witness.
Trump will not be coming to courtroom to testify, Tacopina instructed the decide.
“You are representing to me that he has personally, after consulting with you, voluntarily waived his proper to testify?” the decide responded.
“Sure, your honor,” Tacopina answered.
“How not too long ago did you communicate?” the decide pursued.
“A couple of minutes earlier than I got here into courtroom this morning,” Tacopina answered.
However the decide mentioned he was unwilling to shut the door solely on Trump’s probability to take the stand. He’ll enable Trump till 10 p.m. Sunday to make a movement altering his thoughts about remaining silent, he mentioned.
“I am not saying I’ll grant that movement,” he instructed the protection.
“I am saying I will think about it. If he has second ideas, I will think about it,” the decide mentioned. “If no such movement is filed by 10 p.m. Sunday, that ship has irrevocably sailed.”
At that time, Carroll’s lead lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, famous {that a} movement filed at 10 p.m. would go away not a number of time to reply. How about 10 a.m. Sunday, as an alternative?
“I am good with 5:09 p.m. Thursday, for those who like,” Tacopina quipped in response, checking his watch to quote the present time.
Nonetheless, the decide mentioned he wished to present Trump that probability to suppose issues over, significantly given information accounts earlier Thursday from Eire, the place Trump had determined to play golf quite than attend both the Carroll trial or a listening to on his hush-money prosecution up the block in state courtroom.
“I’ll in all probability attend,” Trump had instructed Irish reporters whereas enjoying golf on the Doonbeg resort in County Clare, in line with the native publication RTE.
“And I feel it is a shame,” Trump instructed reporters, “that it is allowed to occur, false accusations towards a wealthy man, or in my case towards a well-known, wealthy and political individual.”
“There have been information studies out of the British Isles all day, attributed to Mr. Trump, close to his presence right here,” the decide mentioned, in urgent for Trump getting that “second probability” to determine to take the stand.
“I’ve taken this precaution in mild of these statements,” the decide mentioned.
The events agreed that 10 a.m. on Sunday can be the deadline.
The trial is off on Fridays. Ought to Trump proceed to keep away from testifying, jurors will hear closing arguments on Monday. They might then obtain their directions on the legislation Tuesday morning, after which start deliberations.
Trump has not attended a day of the trial, and jurors have solely heard him defend himself in a video deposition performed on courtroom screens.
“It is essentially the most ridiculous, disgusting story,” Trump says within the deposition of Carroll’s declare that he raped her in a dressing room on the Bergdorf Goodman division retailer within the mid-90s, then referred to as her a liar after she got here ahead in 2019.
