In a recent development, former President Donald Trump has once again requested a mistrial in the ongoing defamation case filed against him by former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll. Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, reiterated the request in a letter to Judge Lewis Kaplan, citing the deletion of emails by Carroll and the need to prove the timing of alleged threats.

Earlier this week, during the cross-examination of Carroll, she revealed that she had deleted some emails containing threats to her safety. Promptly rejected by the judge at that time, Habba restated the request, emphasizing that the absence of these records made it impossible to establish the timeline of the alleged threats.

Trump has consistently argued that Carroll started receiving negative messages immediately after an excerpt of her book, which included assault allegations against him, was published on New York magazine's website. According to Trump's attorneys, he should not be held responsible for the actions of others.

Habba's letter to the judge further pointed out that if the mistrial motion is denied, Carroll should not be allowed to seek damages based on the alleged death threats. According to Habba, this undermines Carroll's claim of emotional harm, as it suggests that the threats existed before Trump made any statements about her.

Additionally, Habba requested the judge to instruct the jury to presume that the deleted emails were unfavorable to Carroll's claims, given their absence. This, she argued, should not support Carroll's allegations.

The trial, which aims to determine the amount of damages Trump owes Carroll for his defamatory statements made in 2019 regarding her sexual assault accusations, will resume on Monday.

Both parties will have the opportunity to present further arguments and evidence as they strive to make their case in the courtroom. The judge's decision on the mistrial motion and other requests will significantly impact the course and outcome of the trial.