Trump lawyers set to cross-examine plaintiff in 30-year-old rape allegation against former president

Lawyer for former President Donald Trump are set Thursday to cross-examine the woman who has brought to trial a 30-year-old rape accusation again the former president.

The lawyers, led by high-profile attorney Joe Tacopina, are not expected to have Trump testify and as a result are expected to "take some chances" during cross-examination, says a prominent legal expert.

Former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman in a tweet said with Trump likely not to testify in the trial, Tacopina will be forced to aggressively cross-examine E. Jean Carroll, the journalist who alleges that Trump raped her in a luxury New York City department store dressing room, according to the website RawStory.

However, Litman acknowledged that a such an approach could backfire.

"With Trump presumably not testifying, the whole defense comes down to the cross exam of Carroll," he said. "Look for Tacopina to take some chances that risk the ire of the judge and the alienation of the jury. He has to undermine her credibility."

The former president has denied the allegations.

Carroll testied Wednesday testified that the former president raped her and lied about it when she publicly accused him.