'More delays': Internet fed up as judge postpones E Jean Carroll defamation trial against Trump amid Covid scare

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: The second week of the trial determining the extent of damages owed by former President Donald Trump to writer E Jean Carroll was adjourned on Monday, January 22, owing to a potential Covid-19 exposure to one of the jurors.

The civil trial's senior US District Judge Lewis A Kaplan announced that a juror had fallen ill and reported experiencing fever and nausea, causing a delay of 25 minutes from the expected start time.

Judge Kaplan instructed the juror to go home and take a Covid-19 test, per a report by The Messenger.

Trump's lead attorney, Alina Habba, along with her co-counsel Michael Madaio, and the former president, who were present at the defense table, were unmasked.

Habba disclosed that she was also at potential risk of contracting the virus, having been exposed to it through her parents.

She reported experiencing a fever, but her Covid-19 test result was negative.

Following the judge's suggestion that they proceed with one absent juror, Habba requested a break for the day, citing no issues with a brief delay.

Carroll's attorney raised objections, but Kaplan granted a day-long adjournment.

What did Donald Trump say about the postponement of court proceedings?

The unexpected turn of events occurred as Donald Trump arrived at the Manhattan court amid speculation that he would testify against his rape accuser, E. Jean Carroll, in the sexual abuse defamation trial.

Trump started disparaging his accuser on social media shortly after the judge called off the hearing and informed the participants, "We will take the day off."

He also wrote an extensive piece regarding the trial postponement although, he overlooked to mention the part where his lawyers had also reported exposure to Covid-19, saying, “I traveled late last night from the Great State of New Hampshire to New York to attend one of the many Crooked Joe Biden-inspired Witch Hunt trials.”

The former President continued, “Despite the fact that I was there, on time and on schedule, it was just learned that one of the jurors is, unfortunately, not feeling well, and for that reason, today’s session of the trial, having to do with a woman I know absolutely nothing about, has therefore been cancelled with a new date to be determined.”

"Of course, all of these various “Biden Political Opponent” trials just happen to be starting, with great purpose, in the middle of what will be the most important Election in the History of our Country," he said, adding.

"They could have all began years ago, or years after, but, certainly not DURING the Election. In actuality, they should have never been brought at all, because I have done nothing wrong. It is what it is, and I will do what I have to do, all I ask for is fair Judges and Juries, and I will win every one of them.…"

The leading candidate in the Republican party's primary presidential election has been embroiled in a series of legal proceedings surrounding the highly publicized trial.

The presiding judge, Kaplan, has admonished Trump for his vocal complaints and even threatened to remove him from the court proceedings, according to DailyMail.

The former President's legal representative, Alina Habba, has also been involved in tense exchanges with the court, specifically, she has made motions to dismiss the case and delay the trial, citing Trump’s familial requirement to attend his mother-in-law's funeral.

On Thursday, January 18, the day of the funeral, Donald Trump did not attend court, instead choosing to pay his respects to his mother-in-law, the late Amalija Knavs, and the trial proceeded in his absence as Carroll testified.

According to US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, if the former President decides to take the stand in the defamation trial, he won't be allowed to claim that Carroll made up her allegations or that she was driven by financial or political motivations because another jury found last year that Trump had sexually abused Carroll.

Speaking about the lawsuit during a Sunday night rally in New Hampshire, before the January 23 primary in the Granite State, Trump hinted that he could testify in the ongoing defamation trial.

The 77-year-old GOP frontrunner said, “They are weaponizing law enforcement at a level like never before, and it's all high-level election interference. You know where I’m going to be? I don’t have to be there, but I want to be there, because otherwise I can’t get a fair shake. I’m going to be in court.”

He added, “A totally fabricated story. It's all fabricated. I have like eight of them. Civil cases. All kinds of cases ... this is equal opportunity. We have every kind of case you can have. We have all kinds of cases.”

Since Trump was denied the chance to testify under oath—a chance that many legal experts doubted he would take—the former president attacked his accuser on his beleaguered social networking platform, Truth Social.

He wrote, “E. Jean Carroll was forced to change her story on the “Monica Lewinsky-type” dress. She originally claimed that the “event” happened in 1994, and that she wore the Donna Karan dress on that day. The problem is that New York Times Fact Checkers found the dress wasn’t even made by Donna Karan until long after 1994. The truth is that she doesn’t know the day, month, season, year, or decade - because it did not happen. End this Witch Hunt now!”

On Monday, Judge Kaplan also denied Trump's pending motion for a mistrial based on Carroll's possible deletion of death threats she claimed she had received.

A scowling Trump twice struck the last bench in the courtroom's gallery with his closed fist as he was leaving the Manhattan courtroom.

His return to the courtroom coincided with a pivotal moment in the political calendar, as former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is set to face Donald Trump in the New Hampshire primary, on Tuesday, January 23, which may present her the most promising opportunity to gain momentum following Trump's decisive victory over his GOP presidential rivals in Iowa.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has recently withdrawn from the GOP presidential race, citing Trump's four criminal indictments and the 91 charges levied against him as the secret to his undisputable success in the early primaries, which have deprived other candidates of “oxygen” and the opportunity to compete fairly.

Internet ridicules Trump and his lawyers for Covid scare

People on X dissed the former President and his legal team for maintaining that the coronavirus was a "hoax", yet citing it as a real threat on Monday to get away with pushing the closing verdict of the defamation trial from happening sooner, alleging it to be a ploy to benefit Trump in the upcoming primary.

One X user remarked: "Funny how they deny covid exists, don't mask and probably aren't vaccinated, but use it for their advantage/convenience."

Another user said: "I thought Covid was over yet an exposure is enough to cancel court? More delays."

Another user wrote: "He wants to testify in court so everyone should wait until after the primary. Uh, sure Jan. We know he is not going to testify, he NEVER follows through and it has happened many times. He wants to feel in control. NO. He should be locked up and not have internet."

One user tweeted: "Whether real or make-believe exposure, smart people believe in caution when it comes to COVID (with good reason). I believe the judge will explicitly postpone for that reason and not NH primary."

Another X user remarked: "Whether Habba has Covid or not, the irony of it causing a delay is not lost on me."

Finally, this user quipped: "Thought COVID-19 was a hoax."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.