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."

top 50 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 98 points 2 years ago (7 children)

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.

  • source
  • hideshow 10 child comments
  • [–] 61 points 2 years 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.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 55 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    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.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (4 replies)
    [–] 92 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    "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.

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 109 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

    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.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 55 points 2 years ago* (5 children)

    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.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [–] 29 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    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.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (2 replies)
  • load more comments (3 replies)
  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Exactly, we all know what terrible person he is because of this.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] 86 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    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.

  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 40 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    We gotta end small-dick hate, homedog.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • load more comments (4 replies)
    [+] 52 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
  • [–] 20 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    I'm surprised how noteworthy people find this

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 11 child comments
  • [–] 31 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    Because it's funny either way.

    Is she a legitimate attorney who is also a gamer and uses the same laptop for work so she can squeeze in some Rocket League during court recesses?

    Or is she technologically incompetent, and bought an expensive laptop she didn't realize was the wrong tool for the job? She's proven she's incompetent as a lawyer, being unsavvy with tech is just icing on that cake.

    Or maybe it's her nephew's gaming rig, and she's borrowing it for her big court case.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    A gaming laptop is very capable for her work. It just doesn’t look professional for said work.

    “360-noscopes” trough the courtroom.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (3 replies)
  • load more comments (7 replies)
  • [–] 47 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    You get what you pay for 🤫

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 49 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    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.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 28 points 2 years ago (2 children)

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

    Is that a thing?

  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 27 points 2 years ago (1 child)

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

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 20 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Would I be a bigot if I were to observe that she probably wouldn't be trumps lawyer if she were an overweight balding middle aged male?

  • source
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 16 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Lol. Let's see if she gets paid.

  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 10 points 2 years ago (12 children)

    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?!

  • source
  • hideshow 13 child comments
  • [–] 24 points 2 years ago

    Well, to be fair, it’s quite possible for her to be both stupid AND doing Trump’s bidding. It’s not like he is firing on all cylinders, the guy brags about being able to pick out a whale from a from a lineup of fruits and vegetables.

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (11 replies)
    [–] 9 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Reminder that Trump could have used the more competent Christopher Kise for this.

    I guess pretending to be smart didn't work out so well for Habba this time.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    load more comments
    view more: next ›