Trump calls for postponement of E Jean Carroll trial

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Lawyers for former President Donald J. Trump, citing a deluge of damaging media coverage regarding his recent arraignment and arraignment in Manhattan, asked a federal judge on Tuesday night for a one-month adjournment of Mr. Trump for an allegation that he raped a magazine editor in the mid-1990s.

The postponement request comes just two weeks before writer E. Jean Carroll’s civil suit is scheduled for trial in federal court in Manhattan.

President Trump can only enjoy a fair trial in a calmer media environment than that created by the New York County prosecutor, Mr. Trump’s lawyers wrote, referring to the indictment filed by Trump. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, who charges him with fraud in connection with hidden money paid to a porn star. His impeachment last week made headlines around the world, some of which was generated when Mr Trump called the district attorney a criminal and complained about a Trump-hating judge with a woman and a family who hate Trump.

Lawyers for Mr. Trumps wrote to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan that the heightened attention merited a postponement of Ms. Carrolls’ prosecution.

Holding the trial of this case just three weeks after these historic events will ensure that many, if not most, potential jurors will have the criminal allegations in mind when judging President Trump’s defense of Ms. Carrolls’ allegations. they said.

Ms. Carroll, an author and former columnist for Elle magazine, in a 2019 memoir, accused Mr. Trump of raping her nearly 30 years ago. Mr Trump denied her accusations, saying at the time that he had never met this person in my life and calling her a liar intent on selling a book.

A lawyer for Ms Carroll said Wednesday her response to the delay request would be contained in a court filing later that day.

The delay requested by Mr Trump comes just weeks after Judge Kaplan ruled that jurors in the case would remain anonymous for fear that they would be harassed or worse by supporters of Mr Trump.

And on Monday, Judge Kaplan denied a request by lawyers for both sides to grant at least the parties’ legal teams, but not Mr. Trump or Ms. Carroll, access to jurors’ names, subject to a court order prohibiting the disclosure of those names to anyone else.

In his ruling, Justice Kaplan said the overriding goal was the selection of fair and impartial jurors who could perform their duties without unwanted attention, improper attempts at influence, or any fear of harassment or reprisal, regardless of the outcome of the case.

The judge said that while he did not want to imply that any of the lawyers seeking access to the names of the jurors would betray the trust placed in them, he could not ignore the fact that the public and the jurors did not maybe didn’t have the same confidence.

It is not speculation to conclude, as I do, Judge Kaplan wrote, that at least some members of the jury in this case, if told that their identity would be confidential to everyone but the attorneys for (not to mention the legal teams of) those parties, would probably not be confident that their identities would only be known to lawyers or legal teams.

In the fall of 2019, Ms. Carroll sued Mr. Trump, sparking a three-year legal battle, claiming his statements defamed her by damaging her reputation and career. This costume is currently bound for a call. Last year, she added a complaint accusing her of rape under a New York law that allows civil suits to be brought years after the criminal statute of limitations expires.

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