Drawing Trump Vs Carroll Civil Rape Trial
Day one
Today was the first day of the E. Jean Carroll vs. Donald Trump Civil Trial in Lower Manhattan. Ms. Carroll is suing Donald Trump for defamation and battery. She said he raped her in 1996 in Bergdorf Goodmans. He denies it.
Journalists were not allowed electronic devices (very strange to give up my cell for a day, let alone my iPad!), so I had to draw with paper and pencil. I ended up not in the actual trial room, but rather in a room with monitors along with other journalists, because the actual room was too full. I am hoping tomorrow to get in the actual trial room. Watching on a monitor did not give me a lot of visual choices.
Today was jury selection and the opening statements. Jury selection was fascinating; the judge was warm, humorous and efficient about it all. The opening statements were riveting. Carroll’s lawyer was methodical, soft spoken; Trump’s lawyer infuriated me in the way he portrayed Ms. Carroll as someone who was only after money and fame.
I am only providing a little commentary here in the captions, letting the drawings speak for themselves. More tomorrow!
Wow these are powerful. There’s something about drawings, they feel so much more “direct” than a photograph, not sure why. Really glad to have your window into this scene. They really should just plunk a 360 degree VR camera into the room and let people watch that way, you wouldn’t be so limited by the camera angles chosen.
Great drawings. So many!