In a high-profile civil trial in Manhattan federal court, former Elle magazine advice columnist, E Jean Carroll (79), is accusing former US president, Donald Trump (76), of sexually assaulting her nearly 30 years ago in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room. Ms Carroll seeks unspecified damages and claims Mr Trump defamed her by lying about the alleged rape after she wrote about it. Mr Trump denies the accusations and is not attending the trial, which is expected to last one to two weeks. Ms Carroll has the legal right to sue under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which allows adults to sue their alleged abusers long after statutes of limitations have run out. Notably, Ms Carroll is not the only woman accusing Mr Trump of sexual assault – others include Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, who have also accused Mr Trump of sexual harassment or assault. Despite Mr Trump’s attempts to dismiss these allegations as “made up,” the trial’s six-man, three-woman jury will determine whether he should be held liable for damages and, if so, for how much money. Possible witnesses for Ms Carroll may include friends she confided in about the alleged rape and the women who have accused Mr Trump of sexual assault. The trial is crucial as it will determine whether Ms Carroll can get her life back and whether Mr Trump will continue to face legal problems.
