After $80 Million Verdict, Trump Has a Jury Problem Ahead of Criminal Trial
Despite being a regular and caustic critic of the courtroom tactics and performances of Donald Trump and his lawyers, Friday’s whopping verdict against the former president in the second E. Jean Carroll civil case requires me to acknowledge that in this instance, they were right about one thing.
Team Trump’s strategic decision to seek to avoid the result of the first Carroll trial—a verdict of $5 million against the former president who was a no-show during that trial—by having him regularly appear and testify (sort of) in the second Carroll trial did indeed, bring about a different result. That result, however, was a disastrous $83.3 million verdict against the former president.
The jurors’ ability to witness up front and in person, the defendant’s grotesque, selfish, rude, and uncontrollable behavior surely made all the difference in the world.
…snip…
In a recent Slate article, I opined that what happens in Judge Kaplan’s courtroom in the Carroll civil case would be an important guidepost for Judge Tanya Chutkan as to the most effective methods of keeping a uniquely uncontrollable defendant under control, with Judge Chutkan presiding over the far more significant 2020 election interference trial in Washington D.C. (That case was scheduled to begin in March but is facing likely delay due to a Trump appeal of Judge Chutkan’s rejection of his dismissal motion.)
More at:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/01/80-million-trump-verdict-e-jean-jury.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
