Property tycoon-turned-reality TV star Donald Trump arrives at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse to testify in a civil case involving his Trump Tower in Chicago overnight. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images
A FEDERAL judge scolded Donald Trump and an attorney questioning the developer-turned-TV personality to stop their verbal sparring during his testimony at a civil trial.
Trump is accused of making false promises to an investor in his Trump International Hotel & Tower in downtown Chicago.
The warning came during Trump's his second day of testimony. Trump and the plaintiff's attorney, Shelly Kulwin, repeatedly talked over each other. A visibly agitated Trump scowled, and Mr Kulwin rolled his eyes at Trump's answers.
After an hour, Judge Amy St. Eve told the men, "This is not a boxing match."
After jurors left the room, the judge said Trump's testimony would run into a third day if the sparring continued. She told them, "Let's get control of ourselves."
The crux of the case is whether, as the plaintiff alleges, Trump remained hands-on in the development of the Chicago tower and planned all along to offer a profit-sharing plan to woo buyers and then to renege on it after they bought in.
Defence attorneys have tried to portray Trump as a big-picture executive who delegated the decision about pulling the profit-sharing plan to others.
The trial stems from a lawsuit filed by the investor, Jacqueline Goldberg, 87. She agreed in 2006 to buy two condos for around $US1 million apiece at the 92-story luxury building. It boasts more than 300 hotel rooms and nearly 500 condominiums in a prime location next to the Chicago River and just two blocks from Michigan Avenue.
The lawsuit alleges breach of contract and deceptive practices. It seeks the return of a $US500,000 deposit Ms Goldberg made for the properties and other unspecified damages.
Ms Goldberg's legal team has portrayed the sale of the condos as a bait-and-switch, where Trump and his executives sought to make the properties more attractive investments by telling would-be buyers they would reap a percentage of profits from banquet hall rentals, food sales, laundry, parking and other services.
Trump hosts the reality television show The Apprentice.
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