Donald Trump Faces Avalanche of 'Compelling' Evidence Against Him—Attorney

The evidence admitted by a court in the federal civil rape case against Donald Trump is "compelling" and "weighs heavily against" the former president, according to an attorney.

Trump is accused of raping E. Jean Carroll, a former magazine columnist, in the 1990s at a Manhattan department store, an incident he insists "never happened." The case is civil rather than criminal, meaning there is no possibility of jail time for Trump if the jury's verdict goes against him, although he could face a hefty compensation payout.

Trump is engulfed in a number of legal battles that could complicate his 2024 bid to reclaim the White House. Earlier this month, he became the first current or former U.S. president to be indicted and arraigned, in a Manhattan case based on allegations he falsified business records regarding the payment of hush money to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. Trump has denied all wrongdoing in the case, as well as her claim that they had an affair.

In her lawsuit, Carroll alleges she was raped by Trump in a changing room at the Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury department store, after agreeing to help him buy a gift for "a girl."

According to the suit, Trump "maneuvered" Carroll into a dressing room, where he "jammed his hand under her coatdress and pulled down her tights." Trump is then alleged to have "pushed his fingers around Carroll's genitals and forced his penis inside of her."

Newsweek has contacted Trump for comment via the contact form on his website.

Trump has strongly denied the accusations, insisting he'd "never met this person in my life, and calling the allegations a "hoax," after Carroll first went public with her story in 2019. In a social media post, he also said: "While I am not supposed to say it, I will. This woman is not my type!"

Carroll didn't initially report the incident to the police, but she did confide in two friends who verified the allegations when they were first made in 2019. She is also suing Trump for defamation over the comments he made in response to the allegations.

Attorney Jamie White, a sexual assault specialist who represented gymnasts abused by convicted USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, told Newsweek that Carroll's case is credible.

"In speaking with my colleagues who also operate in this space, we are shocked Trump has not attempted to settle," White said.

He continued: "Though to some degree there is a 'he said, she said' element, the evidence admitted by the court is compelling and weighs heavily against Mr. Trump—in particular, the two witnesses who apparently are going to testify that they were contemporaneously told about the incident by Ms. Carroll. That is exactly the kind of evidence that can sway a jury in deciding whether or not an accuser is credible."

White also cited "the behavior Mr. Trump exhibited outside the circumstances outside of this case—in particular the Access Hollywood tape. While that is not necessarily probative in this offense, it does show a pattern of touching women without their permission."

Carroll's case has made it to court because of New York state's 2022 Adult Survivors Act, which gives those who allege they have been sexually assaulted a year to take legal action against accused attackers.