‘It Is Mind-Boggling!’ CNN Analyst Says Shocking Trump Trial Walkout Begs Jury To Impose ‘Stratospheric’ Damages

CNN legal analyst Harry Litman told CNN anchor Sara Sidner that former President Donald Trump’s shocking walkout during closing arguments in the defamation trial involving E. Jean Carroll — whom Trump was found liable by a New York jury for sexually abusing and defaming — could result in “stratospheric” damages against Trump.

Thursday was a dramatic day in court, as Judge Lewis Kaplan threw a Trump spokesman out of court, scolded Trump for blurting things out loudly while his attorney was speaking, and struck much of the brief testimony Trump offered on the witness stand.

Friday asked Thursday to hold its beer, as Trump walked out of court during closing arguments, and Kaplan threatened Trump’s lawyer with jail time.

On Friday’s edition of CNN News Central, Litman had a sobering way of expressing the hole Trump may have dug for himself, telling Sidner, “I don’t know if there’s a calculator high enough for what they might be thinking about”:

SARA SIDNER: First of all, the judge literally threatened Trump’s attorneys with jail time, potentially because of their rule-breaking antics in court, never mind their client’s antics in court.

How might this all affect the jury? Because in the end, they’re the ones that decide what these damages are going to be.

HARRY LITMAN: And her lawyer has been very savvy in showing them they have the power. They alone have the responsibility.

Now, the the comment that we just heard didn’t happen in front of the jury, but he has plenty of times upbraided her in front of the jury.

And I just want to say about Trump’s exit today, you know, that might be a surprise or drama on TV — in real life, in federal court, it is mind boggling. It just doesn’t happen. And of course, it just drips with contempt for the whole process, for the plaintiff, for the jury. It’s almost calculated.

First, he proves the very point that, that the lawyer was saying, he thinks the rules don’t apply to him. Everybody, everybody sit still and respectfully for a closing argument. And it virtually begs the jury to impose stratospheric punitive damages.

SARA SIDNER: I know that you’ve been in plenty of courtrooms, and I’ve certainly been and plenty of federal courtrooms watching cases, and I’ve never seen anything like that. Some people might say this is something that rhymes with a “skit show.” But Caroll’s attorney told jurors to decide what it will take to get Donald Trump to stop. What do you think? That will do when the jury hears that and John just mentioned it was something about what happened before, but also what was happening right then.

HARRY LITMAN: Right. And there’s two parts to it. One, his utter incorrigibility and nastiness, repeating it again and again, but also and they’ve entered into evidence his wealth probably in fact, and ironically inflated accounts of his wealth.

So I don’t know if there’s a calculator high enough for what they might be thinking about.

Watch above via CNN News Central.