Jessica Leeds said in a trial Tuesday a Manhattan court orders against former President Donald Trump for rape and defamation, the Republican tycoon sexually assaulted her on a flight in the late 1970s.
Leeds, aged 81, was called as a witness of the defense of the writer and former journalist E. Jean Carroll, who made the former president sit on the bench (2017-2022) for rape and defamation.
Leeds told federal court in Manhattan that “in 1978-79,” on a plane bound for New York, she had to get out of her first-class seat because a businessman, referring to Trump, tried to kiss her on the airplane. neck and touch it.
“There were no words, it came out of nowhere (…) He tried to kiss me, to touch my breasts” said Leeds in the civil trial that began last week after allegations of rape and defamation by Carroll, 79, who is seeking financial compensation from Trump.
history
Under oath, he explained that he found the strength to stand up when Trump “He put his hands under my blouse.”
“It felt like it lasted forever,” even though it was only “seconds,” said the witness in Carroll’s defense, who accuses Trump of raping her in a New York department store locker room in 1996.
Jessica Leeds had already covered this case in the newspaper The New York Times in 2016, just weeks before the presidential election that brought Trump to the White House.
Trump had refuted allegations of sexual assault during that year’s presidential election debate against Democrat Hillary Clinton, which “angry” Jessica Leeds.
“I was furious because he was lying,” recalled Leeds, who was called as a witness to try to convince the nine jurors of Trump’s predatory behavior.
Trump denies
Donald Trump, who did not appear at trial, rejects the allegations and assures that he does not know the journalist who was a columnist for Elle magazine.
The case is one of several legal challenges facing the 76-year-old Republican, who is seeking a return to the White House in next year’s election.
Last month, the tycoon pleaded not guilty in a criminal case concerning the black payment to a porn actress before the 2016 election.
Trump is also under investigation for his attempt to reverse the 2020 election results in the state of Georgia, as well as his handling of classified documents and his involvement in the storming of the Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.