Trump attorney reacts to trial verdict
(9 May 2023) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4433663 ASSOCIATED PRESS New York – 9 May 2023 1. Trump attorney Joe Tacopina exits courthouse and walks to reporters 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Joe Tacopnia, Trump attorney: " Yeah. I mean, look, strange verdict. This was a rape claim. It was a rape case all along. And the jury rejected that, but made all the findings. So we'll obviously be appealing those other findings. But they rejected her rape claim and she'd always claim this was a rape case. So it's a little perplexing. But, you know, we move forward. (Reporter: Did you speak to Mr. Trump and what did he tell you?) We've spoken and we're ready to, you know, proceed go forward. Obviously, you know, he's firm in his belief, as many people are, that he cannot get a fair trial in New York City based on the jury pool. And I think one could argue that that's probably an accurate assessment based on what happened today. And, you know, again, it's something that, you know, we're very confident the appellate issues here, the Access Hollywood tape should not have come into this case. Some other things should come into the case. I mean, we made many motions that we thought would create issues for appeal, and we're going to employ them now. You know, there were things that happened in this case that were beyond the pale. I mean, we made a mistrial motion and we're through trial because of some of the rulings. And we believe a bias that was displayed by the court. This judge overturned already once by the Second Circuit in Carroll versus Trump. And we think it's going to be overturned a second time." ++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++ STORYLINE: A jury found Donald Trump liable Tuesday for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in a judgment that could haunt the former president as he campaigns to regain the White House. The verdict was split: Jurors rejected Carroll’s claim that she was raped, finding Trump responsible for a less serious form of sexual assault. But the judgment adds to Trump's legal woes and offers vindication to Carroll, whose allegations had been mocked and dismissed by Trump for years. She nodded as the verdict was announced in a federal courtroom in New York City just a few hours after deliberations had begun, then hugged supporters and smiled through tears. As the courtroom cleared, Carroll could be heard laughing and crying. Jurors also found Trump liable for defaming Carroll after she made her allegations public. Trump chose not to attend the civil trial and was absent when the verdict was read. Trump immediately lashed out with a statement on his social media site, claiming again that he does not know Carroll and referring to the verdict as “a disgrace” and “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.” He promised to appeal. Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, shook hands with Carroll and hugged her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, after the verdict was announced. Outside the courthouse, he told reporters the jury's decision to rule in Trump's favor on the rape claim, but still find him responsible for sexual assault, was “perplexing.” “Part of me was obviously very happy that Donald Trump was not branded a rapist," he said. Carroll was one of more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. She went public in 2019 with her allegation that the Republican raped her in the dressing room of a posh Manhattan department store. Carroll, 79, had sought unspecified damages, plus a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials of her claims. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
