A civil trial against former US President Donald Trump begins today in New York over allegations of rape. First, the twelve jurors are to be selected for the trial in Manhattan. The US author Jean Carroll accuses the Republican of raping her in a New York department store in the mid-1990s. Trump denies the allegation.
The 79-year-old is demanding compensation from Trump. The allegations are time-barred. It is estimated that the process could take a week.
It is questionable whether the 76-year-old Trump will appear at the trial. His attorney, Joseph Tacopina, said the former president would like to come to New York but wanted to spare the city the huge logistical hassle that would come with traveling to the big city and through Manhattan.
Heated atmosphere in the USA
Carroll made the allegation of rape public in a book excerpt in 2019. Among other things, Trump responded by saying that she was not his type. He also accused her of only wanting to sell her book.
The writer then sued Trump – initially for defamation because he had portrayed her as a liar. A new New York law recently made it possible to add the allegation of physical harm.
The mood in the US regarding the legal prosecution of Trump is heated. He is being investigated for a number of possible crimes. Trump himself dismisses all cases as politically motivated actions. He wants to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election.
In early April, Trump became the first former US president to be criminally indicted. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused him of trying to increase his chances in the 2016 presidential election by paying hush money to two women, thereby violating election laws.
