The defense has finished their opening and that ends the day.
@innercitypress
OK they're back.
Trump's lawyer Tacopina: People have strong feelings about Donald Trump, one way or another. And it's OK to feel how ever you feel. You can hate Donald Trump, it's ok. You express that at the ballot box, not a court of law
Tacopina: While no one is above the law, no one is beneath the law. Politicians don't make this country great, jurors do. If you follow the facts, justice will be served. What is paramount is the rule of law. What E. Jean Carroll is doing is an afront to justice
Tacopina: She is exploiting true rape victims, for money. You cannot let her profit for her abuse of this process. This case must be decided on the evidence. Let's look at her story: in some unknown season- she's said 1995 or 1996, she says she was violently raped
Tacopina: She would have you believe Donald Trump was going to try on lingerie over his suit pants. These other two never made a claim. E Jean Carroll's story is unbelievable. They use a foolish statement 20 years ago, locker room talk - it's not an admission
Tocolina: They put up tweets. A 25 year old quote. Tweets from someone who may or may not have been a Trump supporter. They say the Bergdorf witnesses will confirm every detail of the assault - mark those words. What are they going to confirm, a lingerie dep't?
Tacopina: Just buckle in and listen to their story. The opening statement is supposed to be a promise - not a politician's promise. Let's talk about the lack of details. E Jean Carroll can't tell you the date, the month, the season, not even the year
Tacopina: She doesn't want to give Donald Trump the opportunity to provide an alibi. There's no date. Instead she says she was raped on some unknown day, 27 or 28 years ago. 8 or 9 year before that, they were at a gala. Trump was with John Johnson, Channel 11
Tacopina: E Jean Carroll says they took escalators up to the sixth person, but she didn't see a single other person. Not a soul. It was like the Walking Dead. She says Donald Trump picked up a piece of lingerie. The dressing room are usually locked. Not now though
Tacopina: She says Mr. Trump lunged at her, that the noise was so loud that anyone on the floor would have heard it. How did she react? She laughed, she says. Her story continues: Donald Trump violently raped her up to 3 minutes. She, on high heels, pushed him off
Tacopina: She somehow held on to her purse. She never screamed. She wrote the escalator down, seeing no one. She walked out of the store. She can produce no objective evidence. No record of injuries. No doctor or therapist. No video preserved
Tacopina: You've heard what a fabulous writer she was. But there's nothing in her diary. No police report. She was an advice columnist who told her readers to report men to the police. She once called the police on teenagers who vandalized her mail box.
Tacopina: We're going to learn she says she kept the dress for 25 years. She says she only realized she was raped until her friend told her she was raped. They were not, in fact, best friends. She would not have told either one of them.
Tacopina: These are people who desire to be in the spotlight. All three loath Donald Trump politically. They schemed to turn Donald Trump politically. Schemed. Martin emailed Carroll, "This has to stop," referring to Donald Trump. Carroll replies, Yes...
Tacopina: E Jean Carroll came up with this to sell a book, to hurt Trump politically and inject herself into the spotlight. Her life has never been better. She says she's been fabulous. She's making money, appearing on TV, after revelation of this painful rape
Tacopina: She went on CNN and talked to Anderson Cooper about this rape. You'll see her basking in the spotlight. She became a celebrity and loved every minute of it. The story became the center of her life and of her life style
Tacopina: She called him a rapist. Of course he exploded. Evidence will how E Jean Carroll is in fact lying. While at a party, she met an attorney called George Conway, a lawyer and critic of Donald Trump who spoke to her about suing-
Carroll's lawyer: Objection!
Judge Kaplan: Sustained! Jury will disregard.
Tacopina: You'll hear that if Donald Trump is faced with so many lawsuits, he won't be able to run for President. But the stories don't match up. Him calling her a liar is the truth. She suffered no harm - the contrary
Tacopina: Our defense will come from their witness. Their witnesses. That's our entire defense. And some sworn testimony from Donald Trump that you're going to see, in his own oath video deposition
Tacopina: I don't want to detract from the focus on her story. He says some snarly things. That's understandable. You have to decide if you believe the story or not. At the end, decide on the evidence, not politics. If you do, she will not be able to deceive you
Tacopina: She gives a walking tour, most hideous men in New York talking tour, to sell her book. She stops in front of Trump Power. She smiles from ear to ear. Thank you for indulding.
Judge Kaplan: See you tomorrow.
Jury leaves.
Judge Kaplan: Mr Tacopina, so your client will not testify in person.
Tacopina: I don't know. Yes, you can look at me that way
Judge Kaplan: The transcript says Dodge Trump. You cannot leave it hanging. The time has come. You have to tell me this week
Judge Kaplan: This is an imposition on court staff. On security.
Tacopina: It's not my intention. I don't have my phone with me.
Judge Kaplan: You got your George Conway story in.
Story later - down to Worth Street first
