E. Jean Carroll defamation case: Judge denies Trump's motion for mistrial

Former President Trump's defamatory denial of E. Jean Carroll's rape allegation was seen online as many as 25 million times and 63 million times on television, causing "severe" damage to Carroll's reputation that would cost more than $12 million to repair, an expert called by Carroll's attorneys testified.

The expert, Northwestern University professor Ashlee Humphreys, said Trump's statements reached between 85 and 104 million people. Not everyone believed them -- maybe a fifth to a quarter -- but they altered the associations attached to Carroll's name, Humphreys said.

Before June 2019, Humphreys said Carroll was known as a journalist, a "truth-teller and sassy advice columnist." After her allegation became public and Trump responded to it, Carroll was publicly associated with being a liar or a Democratic operative, Humphreys said.

"I found that damage to her reputation was severe and the costs to repair it were considerable," Humphreys testified. She estimated it would cost $12 million to repair Carroll's reputation by placing positive messages about her on television, with social media influencers and on blogs.

E. Jean Carroll testified on redirect examination that she would prefer to have the reputation she had prior to her allegation against then-President Trump than the one she has now -- despite defense assertions that her online following and her income have increased.

"Would you prefer to have the reputation you have now with all those Twitter followers, or the reputation you had before June 2019? Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan asked.

"Before," Carroll responded.

Carroll testified she did not go public with the accusation to enhance her social status, get herself on a magazine cover, or make money. "No, it took great courage to come forward and say what happened," Carroll said.

While she said she anticipated backlash, Carroll said that Trump's defamatory statements made the backlash worse than what she expected.

After earlier conceding under cross-examination that she received negative messages in the hours before the White House issued a public denial of her rape claim, she testified on redirect that the messages became more threatening and abusive after Trump's statement.

Regarding the tweets Carroll received after she went public but before Trump's denial, Carroll's attorney asked her, "Did any of those tweets accuse you of being a paid Democratic operative?"

"No," Carroll responded.

"Did any of those tweets threaten your life?" her attorney asked.

"No," Carroll said.

"Did any of those tweets say you should be in jail?" her attorney asked.

"No," Carroll answered.

"Did any of those tweets say you should be raped?" her attorney asked.

"No," Carroll replied.

Carroll then stepped down from the witness stand, concluding her testimony. Her lawyers next plan to call a reputational repair expert to the stand.

E. Jean Carroll's Twitter followers increased from about 12,000 to 282,000 after she went public with her rape allegation against then-President Trump, Carroll said under cross-examination.

Carroll testified that the increase was the "result of hard work," but defense attorney Alina Habba asked, "You don't believe any of that increase came from coming forward with your story?"

The defense has suggested that Carroll craved attention, took on Trump to revive her flagging career, and relished the verdict in an earlier trial -- known as Carroll II -- that established Trump was liable for sexually abusing and then defaming her.

"Did the Carroll II verdict, in your opinion, provide you with bigger status in New York?" Habba asked.

"It provided me with enormous elation," Carroll responded.

The defense has also suggested that Carroll assumed the burden for any abusive or threatening messages by appearing on television, participating in a podcast, and sitting for an interview with The New York Times.

"Do you believe you are more well-known because of the allegations you brought against my client, Donald Trump?" Habba asked.

"Yes I am more well-known, and I'm hated by a lot more people," Carroll responded. "I am partaking in this trial to bring my old reputation and status back."

"So you sued Donald Trump to get your old reputation back?" Habba asked.

"Yeah," Carroll bluntly answered, ending the cross-examination.

E. Jean Carroll, who testified yesterday that she's been inundated with online attacks ever since then-President Trump fiercely denied her rape allegation on June 21, 2019, conceded on cross-examination that, after the allegation was published, people were sending her negative messages in the hours before the White House publicly issued Trump's denial.

"Nothing like making up fake news to ruin the president's win in 2020," one message said. "I've got some advice for you drop this lie because it's a bad look for you," said another. A third called Carroll a "lying sack of s--- making false accusations right after a presidential run announcement."

"And that was before President Trump's tweet?" defense attorney Alina Habba asked Carroll.

"Yes," Carroll said.

Habba attempted to show more of the messages sent to Carroll, but Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, interrupted, saying, "We'll stipulate that there were nasty tweets sent to Ms. Carroll prior to 5:17 p.m.," the time of the first Tweet repeating Trump's denial.

Habba is trying to convince the jury that the former president should not be financially liable for the negativity hurled at Carroll by others. Carroll, who is seeking at least $10 million in damages, suggested that all of the negative, threatening messages she received mimic Trump.

"They want to emulate him," Carroll testified. "They're standing up for the man that they admire."