‘He Raped Me Whether I Screamed Or Not!’ Trump Accuser E. Jean Carroll Hit Back At Lawyer’s Questions In Court

E. Jean Carroll fired back at Trump rape trial attorney Joe Tacopina as he cross-examined her about the allegation, telling him former President Donald Trump “raped me whether I screamed or not!”

The trial began this week in the defamation suit Carroll filed in 2019 after now-former President Donald Trump accused her of lying about being raped by him. Carroll herself took the stand Wednesday, and began with a powerful statement: “I’m here because Donald Trump raped me and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen, he lied. He shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try to get my life back.”

The following day, she faced cross-examination by Tacopina, whom CNN Senior Legal Affairs Correspondent Paula Reid said would face “a real challenge” walking the line during cross.

On Thursday’s edition of CNN News Central, co-anchor Brianna Keilar tossed to correspondent Kara Scannell, who read off harrowing details of the back-and-forth between Carroll and Tacopina:

KEILAR: Kara, can you tell us what else E. Jean Carroll has said today.

SCANNELL: Well, Brianna, there was just a fairly intense exchange between Trump’s attorney Joe Tacopina and E. Jean Carroll — who is now in her second hour of testimony. Tacopina was focusing in on Bergdorf Goodman, where this alleged attack happened. Having E. Jean Carroll go through the attack again and asking questions at every step of the way.

One area that he really focused on, was he asked her if when she was being attacked why she didn’t ever scream out for help. I’m going to read you a little bit of the back and forth between them.

At one point Tacopina said — he was present her about why wasn’t — why she didn’t scream. If she was really being attacked, wouldn’t she scream.

And she said: You can’t beat me up for not screaming.

He said: I’m not beating you up. I’m asking questions Ms. Carroll.

Then they continued to go back and forth over whether she was screaming or should have screamed.

And she said: I’m telling you he raped me whether I screamed or not.

At that point her voice was cracking. She also said that, you know, the reason why many women don’t come forward is because they get criticized for not screaming.

Now this back and forth continued where he then asked her, so you didn’t scream while you were getting violently raped because you didn’t want to make a scene?

And Carroll said: That’s right. That’s probably why I didn’t scream.

He then continued to go on and press her about the struggle inside of the dressing room.

He said — he pointed out to her, you were wearing 4-inch heels during this whole struggle.

And she said: I can dance backwards and forwards in 4-inch heels.

He pointed out that her tights. She said that she was wearing tights that Trump had pulled down before he raped her. And he pointed out to her that she said that her tights never ripped.

And Carroll said, no, they never ripped. He said they were flexible tights.

And he also asked her about a purse. And she said that she was hold a purse in her hand during the attack, which she estimated lasted about three minutes. And he said to her you never dropped your purse, you never put down your purse.

So, he’s really focusing in on every step of this alleged attack trying to find any weaknesses in her testimony or at least raise questions among the jurors’ mind about what happened.

You know, but this was a fairly intense exchange. They took a short break. They’ll be back in about five or ten minutes from now. She’ll be back on the stand answering more questions. There’s about another hour left in the court testimony this afternoon — Brianna.

Watch above via CNN News Central.