An author on Wednesday April 26 accused the former American president Donald Trump of having raped him almost 30 years ago, during a civil trial in New York.
“I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about (that rape), he lied and said it never happened,” E. Jean Carroll said in federal court in Manhattan. “He lied and ruined my reputation, and I’m here to try to get my life back together.”
E. Jean Carroll, a 79-year-old former Elle magazine columnist, is seeking reparations from Donald Trump, the 76-year-old Republican Party’s 2024 presidential candidate.
Her lawsuit relates to a supposed encounter in New York City in late 1995 or early 1996, where E. Jean Carroll claims Donald Trump raped her before she managed to flee.
Elegant and distinguished, with slightly sunken features, E. Jean Carroll recounted how “such a funny New York scene” at first – the chance meeting with Donald Trump at the entrance to a department store, then a few jokes in the rays – turned into a nightmare in a dressing room of 6e floor, deserted on this early evening in the spring of 1996.
“I was ashamed”
According to her account, the then-all-New York businessman and celebrity recognizes her as she writes a column in Elle, “Ask E. Jean.” He invites her in a very playful tone to help him choose a present. In the lingerie department, Donald Trump grabs an “undergarment” and asks her to try it on.
E. Jean Carroll still cannot explain more than 25 years after the alleged facts how she was able to follow him into the cabin. According to her account, Donald Trump pushed her against the wall, stuck her, then lowered her pantyhose and penetrated her with “his fingers in (her) vagina”, then with her sex. “A few minutes” which “made her unable to find a love life”, she testified.
Why did it take more than 20 years to come out of silence? “I was afraid of Donald Trump (…) I was ashamed (…) I thought it was my fault”.
“Witch hunt !”
According to the former journalist, Donald Trump damaged his reputation when he called his complaint a hoax, a lie and a “complete scam” on his Truth Social social network, adding that E. Jean Carroll was not his “gender” and had made these accusations only to sell his memoirs.
The former US president is not attending the trial, which began on Tuesday, as he is entitled to. He is due to attend a meeting in New Hampshire on Thursday and probably should not testify.
Donald Trump continued Wednesday to mock the accusations made by E. Jean Carroll on his social network, describing the former journalist’s lawyer as a “political agent” and the rape complaint as “a scam made up from scratch”. “This is a fraudulent and false story. Witch hunt!” he wrote on Truth Social.
District Judge Lewis Kaplan has warned the former president that he faces legal action if he continues to discuss the case.
With Reuters and AFP
2023-04-27 03:04:33
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