Former President Donald Trump’s request to delay his $10 million defamation trial to attend the funeral of his mother-in-law, Amalija Knavs, was denied by a federal judge. Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, had written to Manhattan federal Judge Lewis Kaplan requesting the postponement, citing the need for Trump to be with his family during the funeral in Florida.
Amalija Knavs, the mother of former First Lady Melania Trump, passed away on January 9 at the age of 78. Despite the personal nature of the request, Judge Kaplan issued a ruling denying the application, stating that Trump could attend both the trial and the funeral as he wished. Kaplan pointed out that the request was made late on Friday afternoon, right before the start of the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend.
Habba argued that President Trump would greatly appreciate the accommodation during this difficult time and could not imagine how the delay would prejudice the plaintiff, E. Jean Carroll. Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan (not related to the judge), opposed the request for adjournment, expressing concerns about further
delays and the continuous defamation of Carroll by Trump in relation to his campaign for president.
Carroll, a former “Ask E. Jean” columnist, has sued Trump for defamation over his denial of her allegations of sexual abuse dating back to 1996. A Manhattan federal jury previously found Carroll’s accusations to be credible, and Trump was found liable for defaming her by falsely claiming she accused him of rape for publicity.
The upcoming trial is set to determine the amount of damages Trump must pay, with Carroll seeking over $10 million in addition to the $5 million awarded to her in a separate earlier case for sexual abuse and defamation by Trump.
Trump, who is currently running for president again, has been consistently denying Carroll’s allegations. The rejection of his request to delay the trial adds to the ongoing legal challenges he faces amidst his political campaign.