E. Jean Carroll was «exactly» Donald Trump’s type, and the former president did not appear at his civil trial accusing him of rape because «he knows what he did to her,» her lawyer alleged in closing arguments Monday in federal court. of manhattan. court.
Speaking before the jury of six men and three women, Roberta Kaplan played a video of the former president’s October statement in the case, where she looked at a photo of Carroll from the late 1980s and identified it as a photo of model Marla. Maples, Trump’s model. Second wife.
Trump had said in his statement and in public statements after Carroll accused him of sexually assaulting her in a Manhattan department store that he would not have done so because she was «not my type.»
«In other words, she was not attractive enough to sexually assault,» Kaplan told the jury.
After his lawyer pointed out the mistake to Trump, he said the image was «blurry.» Kaplan showed it to the jury. «It’s not a blur at all,» he said, and Carroll was «just the type of him.»
He also showed the jury part of the notorious «Access Hollywood» video, where Trump was caught on a hot microphone saying he kisses and gropes women without their consent because «when you’re a star, they let you do it.» You can do everything.»
«He’s telling you, in his own words, his modus operandi, his modus operandi,» Kaplan said.
He then played a portion of the statement asking her if her comment about the stars was true.
“Well, that’s what, if you look at the last few million years, I guess has been largely true. Not always, but largely true. Unfortunately or fortunately,» Trump said.
Kaplan told the jury: «He actually used the word ‘fortunately’ to describe sexual assault.»
«Who would say fortunately?» added the lawyer. “Someone who thinks they are a star. He thinks stars like him can get away with it.»
Carroll is suing Trump for assault stemming from an alleged rape inside a dressing room at a Bergdorf Goodman department store in the mid-1990s, and for defamation for claiming he was perpetrating a hoax after making his allegations in 2019.
Trump has denied Carroll’s sexual assault allegation and maintains that he did not smear her because he was telling the truth. His attorney is expected to give her final statement later Monday.
Trump chose not to testify in the case and his lawyers did not present any witnesses, which Kaplan pointed out to the jury. Trump did not show up, he said, because he «knows what he did.»