Trump's attorney speaks after $83.3 million verdict in damages

Summary

Donald Trump's lawyer Alina Habba gave a heated statement after he was ordered to pay $83.3 million in damages for defaming E. Jean Carroll. Habba claimed Trump was stripped of defenses and hamstrung at trial, but legal analyst Brian Buckmire said she misled the public. The judge restricted arguments because liability was already decided. Buckmire said the judge overstepped in vetting questions but doesn't see grounds for appeal. Habba vowed to appeal but Buckmire sees Trump's inflammatory statements, not trial errors, as the issue.

Takeaways

• 😡 Trump's lawyer claims he was stripped of defenses and not allowed a fair trial
• 😤 The judge limited defenses to prevent retry of issues already decided
• 🤔 The appeals court will likely uphold the judge's decisions
• 😌 Trump was found liable for defaming Carroll in a previous trial
• 👎 Habba misleads by claiming Trump was prevented from defending himself
• 🤥 Habba falsely claims Carroll's friend was paid to testify against Trump
• 💰 The jury awarded $83M in reputational damages against Trump
• 😣 Habba vows to appeal and fight the verdict
• ⚖️ Legal analyst says judge was paternalistic but no reversible error
• 🎬 Habba focused on optics rather than the legal merits of the case

Q & A

What case was Trump's attorney Alina Habba referring to in her statement?

Habba was referring to the defamation case brought against Trump by author E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s. A jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

What defenses was Trump not allowed to make in the case?

The judge did not allow Trump to argue that the sexual assault did not occur or that Carroll was not credible, since a previous jury already found Trump liable for defaming Carroll.

Why does Habba say the case was unfair?

Habba argued it was unfair that Trump was stripped of defenses he could have made and that the judge restricted the questions she could ask Trump when he took the stand.

Does legal analyst Brian Buckmire agree with Habba's statements?

No. Buckmire says Habba was misleading the public, as liability and damages are separate issues. Trump chose not to appear at the liability trial and argue Carroll was not credible.

What defenses was Habba allowed to make?

She was allowed to argue Carroll did not suffer actual damages from Trump's statements since she was not well-known before her accusations against Trump.

Did the judge make mistakes in the trial?

Yes, according to Buckmire the judge was overly paternalistic in telling Habba what questions she could ask Trump. However, these were likely harmless errors.

What damages was Trump ordered to pay?

$83.3 million total - $10.3 million in compensatory damages to Carroll and $73 million in punitive damages.

Is the verdict likely to be overturned on appeal?

Unlikely, unless Habba can show the judge made serious legal errors that impacted the outcome of damages awarded.

Why does Buckmire say Habba was not practicing law responsibly?

Because she falsely claimed Trump was not allowed to argue the sexual assault did not occur, when Trump chose not to appear at that liability trial.

What is Trump's current status in relation to the 2024 election?

Habba stated Trump is the leading candidate and obvious nominee for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.