his skills, especially as a cross-examiner, soon earned him a more élite class of alleged miscreant.
.. His clients have included Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund; Plaxico Burress, the New York Giant; Dinesh D’Souza, the right-wing political scold; and (briefly) Michael Jackson. The latest beneficiary of his advocacy was Martin Shkreli, otherwise known as, Brafman told me, “the most hated man in the world.”
.. “I’ve had cases about murder and dismemberment, and jurors could say they could be fair. I never saw hostility like this to a defendant.”
.. Like the best trial lawyers, Brafman is a storyteller, who tries to turn his cases into narratives that jurors will read his way.
.. “The narrative has to fit, has to be consistent with the truth, so that the jury knows you’re not making up stuff,” Brafman said.
.. So I sort of promised myself I will never try this kind of case in the summer again. But I’ve got no problem for the rest of the year. What else am I going to do?”
The Case Against Harvey Weinstein, Explained
How soon will he go on trial? It is hard to predict, but it could be more than a year. For starters, a grand jury has yet to indict Mr. Weinstein. That must happen within six months.
.. Why didn’t Mr. Weinstein enter a plea in court on Friday? Mr. Weinstein hasn’t been indicted, so no plea is necessary. Defendants typically do not enter a plea of guilty or not guilty upon being arraigned
.. Will Mr. Weinstein testify? He does not have to and often, if the evidence appears especially strong, the defendant will opt not to take the witness stand. However, if there is one accuser — and it boils down to a “he-said, she-said,” debate — the defendant might choose to make the case a credibility contest and testify to deny the allegations.
.. Who is his lawyer? Benjamin Brafman, a former Manhattan prosecutor, is Mr. Weinstein’s current criminal lawyer. Regarded as one of the sharpest trial lawyers in the city, he has successfully defended a who’s who of influential people, including Sean Combs, the rap star, against gun possession and bribery charges in 2001. In 2011, he fended off a sexual assault allegation made against Dominique Strauss-Kahn
.. Mr. Weinstein has been represented in the past by Elkan Abramowitz, a partner at the law firm Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello, who took up his case in connection with accusations, in 2015, that he had sexually assaulted an Italian model, Ambra Battilana, in Manhattan.
Behind the Scenes of Harvey Weinstein’s Arrest
Mr Weinstein’s attorney Ben Brafman further explained that he intends to file a Motion to Dismiss the charges as being legally flawed and not supported by credible evidence.
.. The detectives offered to move Evans to a safe location where she wouldn’t face threats.
.. Two police sources told me that they were angered that the office of the Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance, decided not pursue charges at the time. One investigator called the D.A.’s decision “corrupt.”
.. “I know how this has changed my life for the worse. How he took away my self-esteem and personal power. And knowing I can take it back, and stop him from doing that to another woman, I couldn’t let that go.”