Trump's Legal Woes: E Jean Carroll Under Fire in Latest Investigation - image source BBC
The civil rape trial against former US President Donald Trump saw his attorney, Joe Tacopina, being scolded by the judge for his inappropriate questioning of the alleged victim, E Jean Carroll. She was back on the stand in a Manhattan courthouse for the trial, where she faced a rigorous cross-examination from Mr Trump’s legal team.
However, during the questioning, Mr Tacopina’s repetitive and argumentative style came under scrutiny. The judge found his line of questioning to be inappropriate, and he was reprimanded accordingly.
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In particular, Mr Tacopina kept asking Ms Carroll why she didn’t scream during the alleged rape that reportedly took place in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan. This questioning was viewed by the judge as excessive and inappropriate.
During the cross-examination, E Jean Carroll expressed her frustration with Mr Tacopina’s repeated questioning regarding why she didn’t scream during the alleged rape.
Ms Carroll stated that such questions are one of the reasons why women do not come forward, as they are discouraged by the fear of being judged or dismissed. She made it clear that the rape had occurred, regardless of whether she screamed or not, saying, “He raped me, whether I screamed or not.”
Judge Lewis Kaplan also expressed impatience with Mr Tacopina’s line of questioning, warning him about its inappropriateness.
The trial will continue on Monday morning, with Ms Carroll expected to return to the stand.
Meanwhile, former President Trump has not attended the trial and instead chose to hold a rally in New Hampshire, where he criticized President Joe Biden. On the same day, Mike Pence testified for hours before a federal grand jury investigating Mr Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
E Jean Carroll became visibly frustrated during her cross-examination in a New York courtroom on Thursday, as she was repeatedly questioned about why she didn’t scream during the alleged rape by Donald Trump.
The former president’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, asked Ms Carroll about the incident that allegedly took place in the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman, a Manhattan department store, in 1996.
Ms Carroll described how she was filled with adrenaline and fought back against the larger man during the alleged three-minute encounter, stating that she was in too much of a panic to scream.
Despite her explanation, Mr Tacopina persisted in questioning her about why she didn’t scream. Ms Carroll responded by stating that women are often discouraged from coming forward because they are asked such questions, which only serves to keep them silent.
As the questioning continued, Ms Carroll eventually raised her voice in frustration, stating that she was raped by Mr Trump regardless of whether she screamed or not.
The judge admonished Mr Tacopina for his line of questioning, recognizing the inappropriate nature of his persistence.
