Judge slaps down Trump attorney for 'material inaccuracies' in E. Jean Carroll case

Joseph Tacopina, an attorney for Donald Trump, was scolded by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan on Tuesday after the lawyer asked questions about an anonymous jury.

While overseeing defamation litigation brought by E. Jean Carroll, Kaplan responded to Tacopina's request for details about selecting an anonymous jury. The attorney argued that he should be allowed to observe "all stages" of the selection process.

Kaplan slammed the Trump attorney for missing a meeting where jury selection was discussed.

"I take what I understand to be material inaccuracies in Mr. Tacopina's letter to be misunderstandings attributable to the fact that Mr. Tacopina was not present at the meeting attended by the Deputy Clerk, Mr. Mohan, and other counsel," Kaplan wrote. "The Court nevertheless provides the following information concerning the proceedings on Tuesday."

Kaplan went on to detail the selection process.

"This is identical in substance to the manner in which juries were selected in this Court during the COVID pandemic," the judge explained. "Counsel for both sides have been requested to submit proposed voir dire questions, and both have done so. The Court naturally is taking those requests into account in formulating its examination of prospective jurors."

Carroll's lawsuit accuses Trump of defamation after he denied raping her.