Judge in Trump civil trial warns jurors to stay anonymous

Apr 26, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

E. Jean Carroll’s battery and defamation civil trial against former President Donald Trump is currently underway. The judge on the case is suggesting jurors refrain from using their real names with each other.

Jurors will be anonymous in the case, not only to the public, but to lawyers on both sides. They will also be transported to and from court, and escorted by the U.S. Marshals Service, which will secretly lead them in and out of the building.

These are all measures in place for the jurors’ safety. The measures may be typical for criminal cases, but they are virtually unheard of with civil matters. The jury consists of six men and three women.

The judge presiding over the case, Lewis Kaplan, has also warned Trump’s side to refrain from posting about the trial on social media, citing concern about Trump inciting violence.

The former president has long denied the allegations and referred to the trial as a “scam” on Truth Social.

Tags: Donald Trump, E. Jean Carroll, Truth Social

KARAH RUCKER: E. JEAN CARROLL’S BATTERY AND DEFAMATION CIVIL TRIAL AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY – WITH THE JUDGE ON THE CASE SUGGESTING JURORS REFRAIN FROM USING THEIR REAL NAMES WITH EACH OTHER.

JURORS WILL BE ANONYMOUS IN THE CASE – NOT ONLY TO THE PUBLIC BUT TO LAWYERS ON BOTH SIDES. THEY WILL ALSO BE TRANSPORTED TO AND FROM COURT – ESCORTED BY THE U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE – SECRETLY LEADING THEM IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING.

THESE ARE ALL MEASURES IN PLACE FOR THE JURORS’ SAFETY. MEASURES THAT MIGHT BE TYPICAL FOR CRIMINAL CASES BUT ARE VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF WITH CIVIL MATTERS. THE JURY CONSISTS OF SIX MEN AND THREE WOMEN.

JUDGE LEWIS KAPLAN PRESIDING OVER THE CASE HAS ALSO WARNED TRUMP’S SIDE TO REFRAIN FROM POSTING ABOUT THE TRIAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA – WORRIED ABOUT TRUMP INCITING VIOLENCE.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS LONG DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS AND TODAY REFERRED TO THE TRIAL AS A SCAM ON TRUTH SOCIAL.