Prior to the unexpected announcement this morning that Rudy Giuliani will not testify in his own defense, the former mayor had repeatedly told reporters that he looked forward to presenting his side of the story at trial.

"When I testify, the whole story will be definitively clear that what I said was true, and that, whatever happened to them, which is unfortunate about other people overreacting -- everything I said about them is true," Giuliani told ABC News' Terry Moran on Monday.

When court reconvened the following morning, on Tuesday, a visibly frustrated Judge Beryl Howell admonished Giuliani, suggesting his remarks "could support another defamation claim."

She reiterated the court's prior ruling that Giuliani's allegations against Freeman and Moss were untrue and cautioned him against raising arguments that she has already ruled on.

In an unexpected twist, Rudy Giuliani will not testify in his defamation trial, an attorney said as court convened this morning.

Giuliani told reporters on Wednesday that he "intends" to testify today in his own defense.

In a preview of what he might have said on the stand, Giuliani claimed he "had nothing to do with any of those" racist voicemails and emails shown in court.

Leaving court, Rudy Giuliani said he had nothing do to with the racially charged messages to Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss that were presented in court.

"I had nothing to do with any of those," Giuliani told reporters.

"My name isn't there. It doesn't refer to me," the former mayor said. "I don't even know who those people are."

Ruby Freeman stepped down from the witness stand after almost 90 minutes of emotional testimony as the final witness in her and her daughter's case against Rudy Giuliani.

The defense rested its case, and Judge Howell sent jurors home for the day.

Court was subsequently adjourned until tomorrow, when the defense is scheduled to present its case.

Giuliani is expected to take the stand.

Judge Beryl Howell admonished Rudy Giuliani for making "additional defamatory comments" about Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss late Monday when he told ABC News' Terry Moran that he stands by his false statements about the two women.

Giuliani told Moran as he departed the courthouse Monday that "everything I said about them is true" and that the women "were engaged in changing votes."

Those comments "could support another defamation claim," Howell told Giuliani's attorney, Joseph Sibley, as court resumed Tuesday morning. "How do you reconcile those comments?"

"I wasn't there," Sibley said. "I don't know how that's reconcilable."

When Howell asked if Giuliani denied making those comments, Giuliani rose his voice and said, "Of course I did."

The trial has "taken a toll on him," Sibley said. "He's 80 years old ... I can't control everything he does."

Howell then questioned Giuliani's age, capacity and acuity -- and whether that might be an issue in the case. "Can he follow instructions?" she asked.

"The answer, of course, is yes," Sibley replied, adding again that "sitting through a multi-day trial" has been hard for Giuliani.

The judge appeared visibly frustrated while chastising Giuliani and his attorney over his remarks. Giuliani, reclining in his chair at the defendant's table, shook his head at times.