Prominent attorney Michael Avenatti, renowned for his representation of Stormy Daniels and vocal criticism of President Donald Trump, is grappling with a substantial influx of evidence in his upcoming Nike extortion trial. Avenatti’s legal team is pushing for either the exclusion of this material or a 30-day postponement of the trial, slated to commence on January 21.
Navigating the ‘Document Dump’ Challenge Avenatti’s lawyers are grappling with a considerable «document dump» recently provided by federal prosecutors, comprising an extensive 13,800 pages of documents and an iPhone belonging to Avenatti’s former office manager. This torrent of material, they argue, has severely hampered their client’s ability to adequately prepare for the trial and raises concerns about the trial’s fairness.
An additional source of contention lies in the content of these documents and the potential witnesses prosecutors intend to summon. Avenatti’s legal team contends that evidence pertaining to Avenatti’s purported financial difficulties, coupled with the testimony of witnesses such as a former divorce lawyer for Avenatti’s estranged wife, may potentially overshadow the trial’s core issues. They argue that this evidence could unduly bias the proceedings against Avenatti and therefore should be omitted.
The case, currently under the purview of U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe, awaits a decision on Avenatti’s request. Both the defense and prosecution anticipate the judge’s verdict on whether to proceed with the trial as scheduled or to consider a 30-day extension.
