‘I believed it then and I believe it today’: last witness testifies in Trump civil rape trial

Carol Martin corroborates E Jean Carroll’s account of aftermath of alleged rape, and judge keeps door open to Trump appearance

The last witness in E Jean Carroll’s civil lawsuit accusing Donald Trump of rape and defamation gave evidence on Thursday, ending the evidentiary stage of the trial which is expected to go to the jury in New York early next week.

After both sides rested their cases, the judge, Lewis Kaplan, kept the door open to a late appearance in court by the former US president when he set a deadline of 5pm New York time on Sunday for Trump to submit a request to reopen the hearing. The judge did not say if he would grant it.