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.”

  • Masterblaster@kbin.social
    991·
    10 months ago

    trump thinks only in terms of television. he picked the pretty lawyer because, in his mind, everyone that looks good is better than other people. his narcissism is chronic.

    • NABDad@lemmy.worldEnglish
      60·
      10 months ago

      He picked the pretty lawyer from the increasingly tiny pool of incompetent lawyers who are still willing to risk whatever career they ever hoped to have in exchange for being hung out to dry and screwed out of any money they expected to receive.

    • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
      55·
      10 months ago

      Trump truly believes that he’s going to be President again, none way or another. If he doesn’t win the actual vote he thinks that millions of his supporters will flood the streets and enthrone him. All the trials are merely a sideshow to him.

      Reminds me of an old story. Son is condemned to be shot for cowardice. His father, the general, sends him a message to act bravely, because he will be pardoned at the last minute. The son faces his last hours coolly, because he has nothing to fear. When they finally slip the blindfold on he realizes that Daddy couldn’t save him, but Daddy wanted him to die bravely. The only difference is Trump is the ‘victim’ who lies to himself.

      • GladiusB@lemmy.world
        23·
        10 months ago

        Hahaha what a fantasy. That would never happen. Why it is so funny, I believe you that he believes that.

      • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
        23·
        10 months ago

        Only applies to women. His judgement for men is how far into his ass they’re willing to go to kiss it.

      • ccunning@lemmy.world
        5·
        10 months ago

        Show me one person who wouldn’t fawn over his dribbling hairline and nicotine stained fingers…

      • frezik@midwest.social
        1·
        10 months ago

        They were friends for years before Trump was President. At one point, I would have said Giuliani may be Trump’s only real friend–yes, even unhinged narcissists can have friends. Giuliani screwed up a lot during his Administration, and until Jan 6, Trump mostly let it go. He didn’t do that for any other lawyer or flunky. However, even Giuliani wasn’t safe when Jan 6 failed.

  • Optional@lemmy.world
    974·
    10 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
      12015·
      10 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.worldEnglish
        7723·
        10 months ago

        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.eeEnglish
          358·
          10 months ago

          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
          15·
          10 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.worldEnglish
            6·
            10 months ago

            1. I never said they didn’t.

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

            • PilferJynx@lemmy.world
              21·
              10 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
          14·
          10 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
            4·
            10 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
              3·
              10 months ago

              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_alreadyEnglish
    863·
    10 months ago

    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
        306·
        10 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
            11·
            10 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
            83·
            10 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.

  • JimmyBigSausage@lemm.ee
    553·
    10 months ago

    Didn’t she have a gaming laptop computer at the beginning of the trial in court? Game on!

    • Teon@kbin.social
      49·
      10 months ago

      The funny part is, he lost the case so he is famous for stiffing the lawyers.
      She is going to have to sue him for the payment. That’s gonna be very funny to see.

  • LarmyOfLone@lemm.ee
    26·
    10 months ago

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

    • ChrisLicht@lemm.eeEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      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
    154·
    10 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?!

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
    61·
    10 months ago

    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
      2·
      10 months ago

      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
        111·
        10 months ago

        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.

  • Red_October@lemmy.world
    4·
    10 months ago

    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.

  • thesprongler@lemmy.world
    1·
    10 months ago

    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.

    • ivanafterall@kbin.social
      12·
      10 months ago

      It’s because nobody competent will work for him. The few competent people who are soulless enough have already been fired, quit, left unpaid, etc… I wonder if there’s a comprehensive list somewhere. It’s a dozen-plus, at this point, I think?

  • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    10 months ago

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

    Is that a thing?