Legal experts skewered Alina Habba’s “comedy of bumbling errors” in Trump defamation trial

Former President Donald Trump’s appeal of the $83.3 million verdict in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll is unlikely to succeed, legal experts say.

“Let me ruin the suspense for everyone. Trump doesn’t have an appeal,” Nashville lawyer Brian Manookian argued Friday. “I know the talking heads on TV who have never tried a case or appealed a jury verdict have to mention it. Here’s why it isn’t going to fly.”

A person must “preserve a reversible error at the trial level” in order to have a case with merit on appeal, Manookian explained, ultimately blaming Trump’s lack thereof on his legal team in the case.

“This is why you hire competent counsel. You need someone who actually knows the rules of evidence and procedure,” he said. “Alina Habba had no clue what was occurring throughout the trial. She not only failed to preserve any remote grounds for appeal, like a moron, she repeatedly and unintentionally waived them over and over.”

  • Optional@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    “I do think part of the rough week he had was having chosen a counsel who doesn’t seem to have any, not just chops, but judgment about how you try a case like this when it’s already been established[,]and you may not quibble that your client has sexually assaulted the plaintiff and then lied about it.

    Shitheads in Ohio be like, “Imma vote for him!” Because corporate journalism has failed catastrophically.

    • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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      8 months ago

      Stop blaming the media.

      When he said he liked soldiers who didn’t get captured, the main stream media reported it. When the pussy grabber tape came out the media was all over it. They played the tapes of him talking about perving on the Miss Teen USA contestants.

      I saw one of his defenders on The View. One of the panelists kept repeating ‘grab the pussy’ over and over. The woman who was supporting Trump asked her not to use that offensive language.

      The media reported and the MAGoos decided it didn’t matter.

      • grue@lemmy.world
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        Stop absolving the media. They absolutely have some culpability here for treating whackjobs with the same credulity they treat scientists, treating existential threats against democracy as if they’re a normal part of the political horse race, and otherwise perpetuating habitual and systemic balance fallacies on a massive scale. The “MAGoos” didn’t just go off the deep end on their own; the media helped mislead them straight off it.

        • EatATaco@lemm.ee
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          The other poster actually gave examples. You posted something but vague references to a “balance fallacy” (I love how you cited that, but not any examples. lol) . .and have a way better upvote to downvote ration than the other poster.

          This is the perfect example of this place using the upvote as the “I agree” button rather than actual, good arguments that add to the discussion. People want to shit on the media, and you gave them an a vague, effectively unchallengeable post to do so. Congrats.

        • PilferJynx@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          I thought the American media has no obligation to the American people and it’s reporting, however flawed, is protected under the first amendment.

          • grue@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago
            1. I never said they didn’t.

            2. I equally have a first amendment right to bitch about how irresponsible they’re being.

            • PilferJynx@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              Sure, but you’re trying to give them a responsibility they don’t have or care to have. Your truth to power doesn’t amount to much. And I agree, that’s a huge problem.

        • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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          8 months ago

          Trump and his people treat the media the same way surly tweens treat their parents. If the NY Times says that Trump is one of the richest people in the world his people will repeat that claim over and over. If the Times says that Donnie took money from Putin it’s FAKE NEWS!

          • Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de
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            8 months ago

            And if they said that he took money from Putin to become one of the richest in the world, that’s just good business.

            • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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              The actually hilarious thing is that Trump could have extorted billions out of Putin on Inauguration Day.

              “Hey, Vlad, why don’t you release all those pictures you have of me. That’s right, send 'em all to the NY Times. I got the CIA on stand by to prove they are all fakes. Now, Vlad, if you send me $10 billion I promise not to go to Congress tomorrow and beg them to fast track letting Ukraine join NATO. You’re alread yon it? I knew we could stay pals…”

  • collapse_already@lemmy.ml
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    Looks like typical DJT operating procedures. Hire incompetence and then blame the system for their incompetence. I used to do high stakes litigation. We would have an attorney on our trial team whose only responsibility was preserving error. I wonder if DJT will sue her for malpractice. That would probably make her extra sad for servicing his tiny mushroom.

      • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        It’s not small dick hate. It’s calling out the shallowest thing that would piss trump off. It’s especially poetic as he makes exaggerated claims about his persons all the time, including what we know is a complete exaggeration on the size of his dick (thanks Stormy).

        Any other person I’m in total agreement with you.

        Just not this one. Not after he fucking mocked a disabled person on live TV and suffered zero consequences.

        This is all we’ve got right now.

          • FabledAepitaph@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            I get the same vibe. I don’t care about DJTs hurt feelings for being called “small dick”, but I do recognize that there are people out there who actually are “lesser endowed”, and its gotta be frustrating to see it used as an insult all the time. Maybe having a “small dick” isn’t the greatest, but its also totally acceptable and people shouldn’t be made to feel negatively about something they really had no control over. My two cents lol

          • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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            8 months ago

            Body-shaming of people who don’t overcompensate and claim the exact opposite of their particular issue, you mean?

            Like, when a 100% blind guy wants to take up cataract surgery because of their acute eyesight, you’re gonna say “dawg, it’s maybe not your thing”. And if they persist with full-page ads as to their keen eyesight, then we have DJT.

            It’s a yes from me.

      • Socsa@sh.itjust.works
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        8 months ago

        I don’t hate small dicks. I hate people who act like massive assholes because they have small dicks.

          • Socsa@sh.itjust.works
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            8 months ago

            IDK buddy, I’m like a shorter person and don’t really internalize any “Napoleon Complex” because being short doesn’t make me an asshole like my tiny penis does.

          • DogWater@lemmy.world
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            They hate you because when you make your analogy it’s suddenly offensive, lol hypocrites

            but it’s an apples to apples comparison.

            Both are vulgar language that references a part of the human body that can’t be changed.

  • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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    8 months ago

    Can he call for an appeal or mistrial based on inadequate legal protection or ineffective assistance of council?

    Is that a thing?

  • LarmyOfLone@lemm.ee
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    8 months ago

    Then I want to thank Alina Habba for helping to preserve a chance for democracy in the US.

    • DragonTypeWyvern
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      8 months ago

      I’d say what kind of professional wouldn’t get payment upfront from Trump these days, but

    • ChrisLicht@lemm.ee
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      Someone, in an aside to a comment on Reddit a few days ago, seemed to suggest she was prepaid $2.5MM. I haven’t looked up to confirm.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    But people here on Lemmy have told me repeatedly that she isn’t stupid and that she was creatively doing Trump’s bidding! As recently as yesterday!

    Do you mean to tell me she is stupid?!

    • jak@sopuli.xyz
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      I don’t think she’s a good lawyer, but I also don’t think she’s stupid. I would call her shrewd. She’s exactly where she wants to be, if her end goal is more than 15 minutes of fame (which it seems to be, given that radio show). If trump sues her, she can just extend her time in the spotlight. If not, she can always sue him for nonpayment herself

    • Murvel@lemm.ee
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      Like she’s a total bimbo though, it’s so obvious…

  • Red_October@lemmy.world
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    Obviously he’ll fire his lawyer, he goes through them like most people go through tissues.

    History tells us that he’s also not going to pay her and will probably be a person of interest when she’s charged with a felony.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    A good lawyer would have reserved ground for an appeal. But she is not a good lawyer. Trump is going to write the check, but he will not see the money come back.

    • tburkhol@lemmy.world
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      One argument goes that she was counting on her blatant incompetence to be grounds for appeal. Once/if Trump ever finds a competent lawyer willing to represent him.

      • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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        Having a bad lawyer is not grounds for an appeal. You have to prove they committed an act. She was just stupid enough to stipulate to all the evidence. Stupid doesn’t work for an appeal.

  • thesprongler@lemmy.world
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    It feels like Trump always hires incompetent lawyers so he and his media cronies can cry foul when it inevitably goes south. That’s not how the legal system works. I type this while I await jury duty.