Internet chants 'lock him up' as Trump requests delay in E Jean Carroll trial after rejection of immunity

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Former President Donald Trump caused a stir on social media after he formally requested a 90-day delay in the trial proceedings of the defamation lawsuit brought against him by writer E Jean Carroll.

The motion was submitted on Thursday, December 21, as per court records obtained by CNN. Notably, a federal appeals court had ruled against Trump's immunity claim in the case just last week.

Trump's legal team argues that the delay is essential to allow the former president to explore appellate options, potentially appealing to the Supreme Court if necessary.

In the motion, they stated, “The denial of this right would upend the longstanding rule that lower courts are divested of jurisdiction for the pendency of an immunity-related appeal.”

Moreover, Trump's team asserted that not granting the delay would constitute a "form of prejudice" against the former president.

“Forcing President Trump to stand trial absent a final determination as to whether his presidential immunity defense is viable would be the ‘quintessential form of prejudice’ and would deprive the immunity of its intended effect,” the motion stated.

“A stay of district court proceedings is mandated under the longstanding rule that a lower court is divested of jurisdiction throughout the pendency of an immunity-related appeal,” Trump’s team argued in the court documents.

Social media reactions

The request triggered a wave of reactions on social media platforms.

"How can 1 man have so many lawsuits? He is a walking crime scene," one posted on X (formerly Twitter).

"Lock him Up!!" another wrote.

"Throw the fraud in jail," someone else added.

"If he can go to rallies, he can go to court appointments," another chimed in.

MSNBC legal analyst Katie Phang chimed in on the development, expressing skepticism about Trump's chances of obtaining a stay from the 2nd Circuit.

"What is absurd about this legal move is that Trump's upcoming trial is ONLY on DAMAGES," Phang said. "And a jury has already found that his defamation of E Jean Carroll was OUTSIDE of the scope of his office. So, the chances of him getting a stay from the 2nd Circuit is super, super slim."

As the legal proceedings unfold, it's crucial to note that Trump has already been denied the immunity claim in federal court. The upcoming trial focuses solely on determining the damages. Legal analysts anticipate a higher amount than the second offense due to it being the initial incident.

Allegations and denials

Carroll, one of more than a dozen women accusing Trump of sexual assault or harassment, publicly shared her allegations in a 2019 memoir. The incident allegedly occurred in 1996 when Trump, then a businessman, allegedly raped her in the dressing room of a Manhattan department store.

Trump vehemently denies the accusations, branding Carroll's account as a "fraudulent and false story."

The legal proceedings have already witnessed a jury awarding Carroll $2 million for Trump's sexual abuse and additional amounts for defamation. The upcoming trial seeks to determine the extent of damages, with Carroll seeking unspecified compensation and a retraction of Trump's defamatory denials.

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