Lawyer in Trump defamation case won’t introduce ‘Access Hollywood’ tape ahead of possible testimony

The infamous “Access Hollywood” tape will not be presented to New York jurors tasked with considering a defamation case against former President Donald Trump leveled by writer E. Jean Carroll.

Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, revealed that the jury would be presented with neither the tape nor two other women who accused Trump of abuse. The revelation means Trump’s testimony in the case is likely to arrive sooner than expected, possibly Monday, one day before the Republican primary in New Hampshire.

Kaplan argued that she wants the trial to remain “focused” on Carroll’s accusations, not Trump’s other alleged sex crimes.

The new trial comes after a federal jury in New York City decided last year that Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The former president has been ordered to pay Carroll $5 million.

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Carroll, 80, alleged that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan sometime in 1996. According to Carroll, the two had a chance run-in at the store, where Trump was shopping for a gift for “a girl.” She said he asked for her advice, and the two shopped together before he pushed her into a dressing room and assaulted her.

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Trump denied the claim repeatedly, leading Carroll to sue him for defamation, arguing that his denial had harmed her reputation.

Carroll plans to testify about the damage to her career and reputation that resulted from Trump’s public statements. She seeks $10 million in compensatory damages and millions more in punitive damages.

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Trump announced his own plans to testify in a post on social media last week.

“I should be in New Hampshire, campaigning and fighting for our Country, and I will be later today, but for now I had to spend time in a Federal Courthouse with a Trump Hating, Radical Left Judge, on a case that is another politically biased WITCH HUNT — ONE DAY AFTER IOWA, AND JUST AHEAD OF THE IMPORTANT NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY,” Trump wrote. “THIS HOAX, WHICH THE ‘BULLY’ JUDGE CHOSE TO HAVE AS TWO TRIALS INSTEAD OF MERGING INTO ONE, IS A DISGRACE, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT. His former Law Clerk(?) is on the other side.”

Carroll’s is one of many legal hurdles facing Trump ahead of the 2024 election. He also faces four indictments on charges stemming from Florida, New York City, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report