The rape accusations against Donald Trump have gained credibility after a friend of the accuser, E. Jean Carroll, testified that the victim called her minutes after the alleged assault.
On Tuesday, May 2, E. Jean Carroll’s friend provided her account in court, revealing that she was contacted shortly after the former president allegedly raped Carroll in a Manhattan department store.
Confirming Trump’s decision, Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina clarified that the former president would not testify. Judge Lewis Kaplan had repeatedly sought clarification on Trump’s willingness to testify, citing security concerns. The defense has rested its case, and Trump and his lawyers have until Sunday at 5 pm to declare if they want Trump to appear in court.
Although Trump is not legally required to appear in court for a civil case, he was listed as one of only two defense witnesses. Trump has consistently denied Carroll’s accusations, going as far as stating that she is not his type.
The deposition Trump provided in October was videotaped, and portions of it are expected to be presented to the jury during the ongoing trial.
During the trial, the friend, Lisa Birnbach, recounted a phone conversation with Carroll in 1996, just after the alleged incident occurred.
Birnbach’s testimony focused on the phone call, where Carroll expressed disbelief about what had just happened to her. Carroll sounded distressed and emotional during their conversation, Birnbach recalled.
According to Birnbach, Carroll talked about being with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman before he assaulted her in a dressing room. Carroll described being “penetrated” by him. Birnbach encouraged Carroll to report the rape to the police, but Carroll declined, expressing her reluctance to involve law enforcement.
Despite facing online backlash when publicly supporting Carroll’s account in 2019, Birnbach testified voluntarily, emphasizing her loyalty to her friend and the significance of establishing the truth.
While serving as president at the time of Carroll’s book publication, Trump has repeatedly dismissed her allegations as a “hoax” and a “con job.”
