Donald Trump’s defamation trial starts as judge denies one-day adjournment for him to attend funeral

NEW YORK (AP) — With jury selection about to begin, a judge denied Donald Trump’s request Tuesday that a defamation trial stemming from a columnist’s claims that he sexually abused her in the 1990s be suspended for a day so he could attend the funeral of his mother-in-law later in the week.

The denial came during a combative exchange between lawyers for Trump and Judge Lewis A. Kaplan over evidence in the case, Trump’s desire to attend the Thursday funeral and whether the trial should occur at all.

This is the penalty phase of a civil defamation trial stemming from columnist E. Jean Carroll’s claims he sexually attacked her in a department store dressing room. A May trial found Trump sexually abused Carroll, awarding her $5 million. Trump did not attend that trial but he showed up Tuesday morning after his political victory at the Iowa caucus hours earlier.

Trump attorney Michael Madaio complained that the judge had made “inconsistent and unfair” rulings against Trump prior to the start of the trial.

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