Senior U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan threatened to kick Donald Trump out of his courtroom after being forced to tell the ex-president to keep his voice down during Wednesday’s civil trial that will determine how much he must pay journalist E. Jean Carroll. In separate civil cases a jury and Judge Kaplan determined Trump is liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
“Trump has been making side commentary during E. Jean Carroll’s testimony within earshot of the jury, Carroll’s lawyer complained during a break in the proceedings, outside the jury’s presence,” ABC News reports. “Sitting at the defense table, Trump has been seen scoffing, chuckling, and encouraging his attorney, Alina Habba, to interject during the proceedings. He has been visibly shaking his head at some of what Carroll asserts on the witness stand.”
Carroll’s attorney, Shawn Crowley, told the judge, “Mr. Trump is sitting at the back table and has been loudly saying things” like “‘Carroll’s statements are false’ and ‘she now seems to have gotten her memory back,'” ABC News added.
Habba has been objecting in what some legal experts have suggested was a quite objectionable manner.
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At one point Habba objected and Judge Kaplan responded, saying, “I will hear no further argument on it,” and, when she interrupted, he added, “None. Do you understand that word? Sit down.”
“I don’t like to be spoken to that way, your honor,” Habba replied.
When Judge Kaplan told Habba to “sit down,” Trump reportedly said loudly enough that others could hear, “He is a very nasty guy.”
Politico’s Erica Orden explains, “Before jury re-enters, Judge Kaplan says: ‘I’m just going to ask that Mr. Trump take special care to keep his voice down when he’s conferring with counsel so that the jury does not overhear it.'”
Later, after Trump apparently refused to honor the judge’s request to “keep his voice down,” Judge Kaplan threatened to remove Trump.
Carroll’s attorney had to complain to the judge a second time after she said Trump continued to make “statements that we can hear at counsel table.”
She said Trump had been making remarks like, “It is a witch hunt,” and, “It really is a con job.”
“When a video of Trump disparaging E. Jean Carroll was played for the court,” ABC added, “Crowley said Trump remarked, ‘It’s true.'”
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“Kaplan threatened to kick Trump out of court after Carroll counsel complained again about Trump’s commentary,” reported Politico’s Erica Orden, who posted the play-by-play:
“Kaplan: ‘Mr. Trump has the right to be present here. That right can be forfeited.’ He continued: ‘Mr. Trump, I hope I don’t have to consider excluding you from the trial.'”
Orden added, “After Trump threw his hands up in the air and said, ‘I would love it,’ Judge Kaplan continued: ‘I know you would,’ Kaplan said. ‘I know you would. You just can’t control yourself in this circumstance, apparently.'”