UPDATE: Trump May Yet Testify in Rape Trial
Judge Kaplan sets late Sunday deadline for decision.
Earlier this week, Trump attorney Joe Tacopina said he would call no witnesses for the defense in the Carroll v Trump rape case before the court of Judge Lewis Kaplan. Today Tacopina rested his case.
But across The Pond, Trump, on a tour of his gold courses in Scotland and Ireland, went on just the kind of rant about which Judge Lewis Kaplan warned Trump and son Eric in the last fortnight.
Trump told reporters in Ireland on Thursday he’ll “probably attend” the trial, saying:
“I have to go back for a woman that made a false accusation about me, and I have a judge who is extremely hostile,” Trump said in Doonbeg, Ireland, according to Reuters.
He added:
“And I think it's a disgrace that it's allowed to happen, false accusations against a rich guy, or in my case against a famous, rich and political person.”
Judge Lewis Kaplan said that “in the interest of justice,” he would give Trump’s team until 5 p.m. Sunday to make a motion to reopen his case “for the purpose and the sole purpose of testifying as a witness in this case.”
“I am not saying that I will grant it. If it is made, I will consider it,” Kaplan said. “He has a right to testify that has been waived, but if he has second thoughts, I’ll at least consider them and maybe we’ll see what happens. I won’t attempt to summarize them any further or comment in any way on the substance,” Kaplan said of Trump’s comments. “But I have taken the precautions I have just taken in light of those statements.”
Developing.