Alina Habba, the attorney for former President Donald Trump in the civil suit brought by author E. Jean Carroll, told reporters outside a New York courtroom on Friday that the Trump team will “immediately” appeal the $83 million verdict resulting from Carroll’s civil suit against the former president for defamation.
“We will immediately appeal,” said Habba. “We will set aside that ridiculous jury.” While making it clear that she is proud to represent the former president in court, she told reporters that she found what happened in the courtroom to be unacceptable, “I am proud to stand with President Trump. But I am not proud to stand with what I saw in that courtroom.”
Trump lawyer Alina Habba reacts to E. Jean Carroll verdict ordering Trump to pay $83 million:
"We are in a NY jury and that is why we are seeing these witch hunts. I am proud to stand with President Trump.” pic.twitter.com/TFpO30wTow
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) January 26, 2024
Habba told reporters that the judge refused from the outset to allow Trump to raise arguments that he did not assault Carroll as alleged: “Before I walked into court, that judge decided that every single defense that President Trump had, we were not allowed to raise in front of the jury. It is in writing and I encourage the real journalists to take a minute to look at his orders.”
“There was no proof, and I couldn’t prove that she didn’t bring in the dress, there was no DNA, there were no experts. My experts were denied. Two of them were denied to come in,” Habba said. “Don’t get it twisted. We are seeing a violation of our justice system, ladies and gentlemen. You are not allowed to be stripped of every defense that you have.”
Trump’s lawyer praised the former president for bravely facing his accuser in a court of law and fighting to clear his name and defend his wealth from being confiscated by the jury: “I am proud to stand with President Trump because he showed up. He stood up, he took the stand, and he faced this judge. And you know what? I’ll continue to do so with him.”
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), who is running against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, slammed him on X, formerly Twitter, after the $83 million verdict, saying “America can do better” than the 45th president in 2024.
Donald Trump wants to be the presumptive Republican nominee and we’re talking about $83 million in damages. We’re not talking about fixing the border. We’re not talking about tackling inflation. America can do better than Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) January 26, 2024
