The accuser's lawyer claims that Trump's absence from the civil rape trial proves "he did it."

 Donald Trump's absence from the trial in which author E. Jean Carroll accuses him of rape and slander proves that "he did it," according to Carroll's attorney on May 8.

As the civil trial in Manhattan federal court received closing arguments, attorney Mike Ferrara told the jury, "He never looked you in the eye and denied raping Ms. Carroll."

"You should draw the conclusion that that's because he did it."

In a lawsuit against Trump, 76, Carroll, 79, claimed that he had sexually assaulted her in a dressing room at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996 and had then defamed her by denying the incident in a post on Trump's Truth Social platform from October 2022.

He described her assertions as a "complete lie" in that post.

The former advice writer for Elle magazine is suing for alleged financial losses.

On Tuesday, May 9, the jury of six men and three women was anticipated to begin deliberating.

Earlier on Monday, Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan said that a 2005 "Access Hollywood" video in which Trump claimed that women had let him to "grab 'em by the pussy" supported Carroll and other women's claims of sexual assault against Trump.

"He admitted on video to doing exactly the kinds of things that have brought us here to this courtroom," Kaplan said.

Trump, who was president from 2017 to 2021 and is the front-runner as the Republican candidate for president of the United States in 2024, waived his right to testify at the trial and decided not to provide a defense because he believed Carroll had not made a strong enough argument to convince the jury.

He indicated to reporters last week in Ireland that he would "probably" attend, but he did not appear in court.

Trump has charged Carroll with fabricating the account in order to boost sales of a 2019 memoir in which she made her allegations known. In a video deposition shown to the jury on May 3, Trump refuted accusations that Carroll was raped.

"It's the most ridiculous, disgusting story," Trump said in the video. "It's just made up.

 

In his final statement on Monday, Trump's attorney Joseph Tacopina referred to the case as a "affront to justice" and claimed Carroll's inability to recall the alleged incident's date prevented Trump from using an alibi to defend himself.

Tacopina declared, "This is an absolutely outrageous case.

 

"The facts in evidence make plain here that E. Jean Carroll's story is not worthy of your belief, not even close," he stated.

 

Carroll testified over the course of three days that Trump attacked her by slamming her against the wall, sticking his fingers into her vagina, and then inserting his penis.

When Carroll told them about the attack soon after it happened, two of her longtime friends testified that they believed her. 

Two further women testified before the jury that Trump had sexually assaulted them in different events over a number of years. Trump also disputes the assertions.

Since the alleged rape, Carroll, according to Kaplan, has been unable to maintain a meaningful relationship, and Trump's outspoken criticism of Carroll has ruined her client's reputation.

" For E. Jean Carroll, this lawsuit is not about the money," Kaplan said. "This lawsuit is about getting her name back."