A New York jury has reached a verdict in Donald Trump's libel trial against columnist and rape accuser E. Jean Carroll.
The former president, 77, faces up to $24 million in damages for defaming the journalist by lying about sexually assaulting her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s.
The panel returned after chaos erupted in the Manhattan courtroom when Trump left the courtroom after Carroll's lawyer said the jury should punish him.
Trump appeared disinterested as the judge read his instructions to the jury and at one point appeared to be slumped in his chair as he looked toward the sky.
Friday's closing arguments were full of drama, with Judge Lewis Kaplan threatening to “lock up” Trump lawyer Alina Habba over her outbursts.
After Trump left, Senior U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said, “The record will reflect that Mr. Trump just stood up and left the courtroom.”
The former president returned to the courtroom more than an hour later and took his seat again to listen to Habba's closing argument. Evidence concluded shortly before noon, after which jurors were dispatched to consider the case.
The panel returned after chaos erupted in the Manhattan courtroom when Trump left the courtroom after Carroll's lawyer said the jury should punish him
Chaos erupted in E. Jean Carroll's libel trial on Friday as Donald Trump stormed out of the courtroom and the judge warned his lawyer Alina Habba that she was about to “do time in prison.”
Donald Trump watches as his lawyer Alina Habba engages in a heated exchange with Judge Lewis Kaplan as she delivers closing arguments at the Manhattan courthouse.
In this courtroom sketch, E. Jean Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan delivers her summary to the jury in federal court in Manhattan as former President Donald Trump (far left) and E. Jean Carroll (far right) listen
Trump appeared disinterested as Judge Kaplan read instructions to the jury – and at one point he even appeared to be slumped in his chair and looking at the ceiling.
His decision to leave office followed a blockbuster back-and-forth in which Habba and Judge Kaplan clashed.
“You are about to spend some time in prison,” Judge Habba warned. 'Sit down'.
Later he said to Habbah, “You will not argue with me.”
The 77-year-old former president dramatically bowed out when one of Carroll's lawyers, Roberta Kaplan, said the jury should punish Trump, claiming: “He thinks the rules don't apply to him.”
Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said Trump should make her client “pay dearly” for defaming her.
A civil jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse last year after Carroll, 80, alleged he assaulted her in the dressing room of a Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in the mid-1990s.
Since then, he has continued to loudly deny having met Carroll. Her lawyers accuse Trump of igniting a “storm of hatred” against her.
Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to Judge Kaplan, sought $12 million in damages for her client's reputation, another $12 million for emotional harm caused, and other punitive damages.
She told the court: “Stopping Donald Trump requires an unusually high amount of damages.” The only thing Donald Trump cares about is money.
“Now is the time to make him pay, and now is the time to make him pay dearly.”
“The sexual assault happened — and Donald Trump’s denials and tenacious accusations against her were all complete lies,” she said.
The tense exchange between the judge and Habba was sparked by Trump's lawyer attempting to introduce a slideshow of tweets that had not been entered into evidence.
“You're not going to use a slide to show how many tweets there were, you're not using that slide, period,” Judge Kaplan said.
Habba arrives at Trump Tower before the dramatic court hearing. The former president, 77, made a dramatic exit when one of Carroll's lawyers said: “Donald J. Trump believes the rules don't apply to him.”
The tense exchange was sparked by Habba attempting to present a slideshow of tweets they had not obtained as evidence
Roberta Kaplan showed the jury social media messages in which her client had been threatened.
She said, 'Imagine if you knew that all these people hated you. They all want you to be raped or killed.'
Habba responded on behalf of Trump: “President Trump has no more control over the thoughts and feelings of social media users than he has over the weather.”
She added: “Ladies and gentlemen, I received three this week alone. 'That's me on a good day.'
Judge Kaplan called that comment “inappropriate” and told the jury to ignore it.
Habba later added: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is not about President Trump and E. Jean Carroll, this is about some people in their mothers' basements who will always be mean on social media, you can't stop that. “
While the case was ongoing, Trump posted a lengthy tirade on his Truth Social network, claiming he was being “blackmailed,” that the trial was “un-American,” and that the department store incident never happened.
He wrote: “I am the only one hurt by this blackmail attempt.”
“For many decades I have been considered an A-list star…it would have been impossible for me to walk into a crowded department store (surrounded by buildings I own) directly across from the cashiers' checkout line without being written up about it.” Page Six and every other outlet at this time.”
Trump had previously waved to fans as he made his way to court on Friday morning before the dramatic start of the hearing.
He left Trump Tower with Habba after the defense postponed its case against Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist who accused him of attacking her at a department store in the 1990s.
Trump faces up to $10 million in damages for defaming Carroll and claiming he never met her when she accused him of sexual assault
What followed was a dramatic Thursday in court, with Trump dramatically taking the witness stand and testifying for just three minutes
On the witness stand, Trump told a civil jury that he wanted to defend himself and “the presidency” by making allegations that were “completely false.”
Lawyers for E Jean Carroll (circled) have released a portion of the former president's interview in which he falsely points to a picture of his rape accuser and claims it is his wife
What followed was a dramatic Thursday in court, with Trump dramatically taking the witness stand and testifying for just three minutes.
Trump may have to pay millions of dollars in damages for defaming Carroll and claiming he never met her when she accused him of sexual assault.
On Thursday, Trump told the civil jury on the witness stand that he wanted to defend himself and “the presidency” by making allegations that were “totally false.”
Before he testified, he was reprimanded by the judge for speaking too loudly from his seat, and the judge then repeatedly interrupted him during his testimony, limiting him to yes or no answers.
As he left court Thursday, Trump looked back at the crowded courtroom, shook his head and said, “This is not America.” Not America. This is not America.'