Trump's Trial Behavior Frustrates Judge
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Tensions ran high in the second day of testimony by billionaire Donald Trump, in a case involving the sale of condos at the downtown high-rise bearing his name.
It got so heated, that an exasperated Judge Amy St. Eve got up out of her chair to admonish Trump and the plaintiff's attorney, comparing their verbal jousting to a boxing match.
It is safe to say Trump is a man used to controlling a situation, and it appeared he was trying to do just that in court, CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.
His behavior clearly irritated both the attorney and the judge.
But after his day on the stand was over, Trump chalked up his testimony to one simple thing.
"I don't want to get ripped off," he said.
And to that end, Trump did his best to have the last word on the witness stand, in a civil trial filed against his company by 87-year-old Jacqueline Goldberg.
She claims that profit-sharing terms of her contract changed after she agreed to buy a condo and two hotel rooms in Chicago's Trump Tower.
She is suing to get her $500,000 deposit back.
Trump said she knew the deal and agreed to it.
"It's so ridiculous," Trump said after court. "Nobody's played the age card better than her."
At times, the exchange between Trump and Goldberg's attorney, Shelly Kulwin, got downright contentious.
Trump frequently snuck in comments that weren't direct answers to Kulwin's questions.
"I have a clause in the contract that allows me to change that deal," Trump testified. "Mrs. Goldberg knew that. She wanted us to take it out. We didn't, and she signed it anyway. Then she sued me. Unbelievable."
Kulwin kept asking St. Eve to keep Trump quiet.
Finally, the judge had enough, admonishing them both: "You have been dancing and boxing with each other for 45 minutes. This is not a boxing match. You've got to stop it."
Trump, got in the last word after he left the stand.
"Is he a good lawyer? Personally, I don't think so."
Kulwin did not immediately respond to that post-court jab.
He did say on Tuesday that the case is simply a breach of contract case by Trump's company.
