Summary from @KlasfeldReports of the AUSA and Michael Avenatti's closing remarks. Avenatti is representing himself.
Good morning from New York.
It’s Groundhog Day… again, which means proceedings in yet another federal trial against Michael Avenatti.
Closing arguments are expected to start this morning in the Stormy Daniels case.
Follow along here, @lawcrimenews
"All rise"
The jury is entering.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman is up:
"The defendant was a lawyer who stole from his own client. She thought that he was her own advocate, but he betrayed her."
And he told lies to cover it up, the AUSA says.
"The defendant's lies and betrayal were exposed."
That line very much echoes that the one by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Rohrbach during opening statements a little more than a week ago. lawandcrime.com/uncategorized/…
AUSA:
"He lied to Ms. Daniels for months to cover it up."
In February 2019, Avenatti got caught up in his own "web of lies," he adds.
The prosecutor says the jury has a "mountain of evidence" before it.
AUSA: Why did the defendant lie in those messages? He knew that [the money] did not belong to him. He stole it.
Prosecutors show this text exchange between Avenatti and Daniels to the jury, noting that the publisher wasn't late with the payment, as she thought.
Avenatti had it and didn't tell her, he notes.
Good morning from New York.
It’s Groundhog Day… again, which means proceedings in yet another federal trial against Michael Avenatti.
Closing arguments are expected to start this morning in the Stormy Daniels case.
Follow along here, @lawcrimenews
"All rise"
The jury is entering.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman is up:
"The defendant was a lawyer who stole from his own client. She thought that he was her own advocate, but he betrayed her."
And he told lies to cover it up, the AUSA says.
"The defendant's lies and betrayal were exposed."
That line very much echoes that the one by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Rohrbach during opening statements a little more than a week ago. lawandcrime.com/uncategorized/…
AUSA:
"He lied to Ms. Daniels for months to cover it up."
In February 2019, Avenatti got caught up in his own "web of lies," he adds.
The prosecutor says the jury has a "mountain of evidence" before it.
AUSA: Why did the defendant lie in those messages? He knew that [the money] did not belong to him. He stole it.
Prosecutors show this text exchange between Avenatti and Daniels to the jury, noting that the publisher wasn't late with the payment, as she thought.
Avenatti had it and didn't tell her, he notes.
The prosecutor shows the jury a similar exchange from October 2018.
AUSA: That was false. The publisher didn't owe Ms. Daniels anything. It was the defendant who took her money.
AUSA: Another category of lies was telling Daniels that he would threaten litigation against the publisher to get the money.
In fact, he says, the publisher sent Avenatti the money and he spent it by that time.
Note: I deleted an old version of the previous tweet for clarity and grammar.
Prosecution slide—
"The Defendant Broke Rules to Steal Money"
"When a lawyer receives any money on behalf of a client, the lawyer must deposit the money into a bank account labeled as a client trust bank account, and must promptly notify the client of the receipt of the funds."
AUSA says that Avenatti also broke notification rule.
Prosecution slide: "The Defendant Was Desperate for Money"
Avenatti's assistant testified that his law firm couldn't afford the basics, like rent and health insurance, the prosecutor noted.
AUSA: "The defendant's law firm was broke. That is one of the reasons that he stole Ms. Daniels's money."
AUSA: "That explains why he stole Ms. Daniels's money, but it doesn't excuse his crimes."
AUSA says that another reason the jury should know Avenatti is guilty is that he "played dumb when he got caught."
AUSA says of Daniels: "She could not believe that her trusted lawyer could have lied to her every day for months."
He shows this text message as an example of Avenatti "playing dumb."
The exchange continues.
AUSA: "She told you that this was her 'mic drop' moment."
That moment is illustrated in these texts from Feb. 19, 2019.
Avenatti claims that he was entitled to a portion of Daniels's book advance, but the prosecutor says that text messages demolish that defense.
AUSA: "If he thought the money was actually his, he would have just said so."
The prosecutor skewers what he calls Avenatti's "'I deserve it' defense."
Whatever work Avenatti did for Daniels does not give him a "free pass" to defraud her, he tells the jury.
AUSA Sobelman takes on Avenatti's "distraction" about Stormy Daniels's belief in the paranormal:
"Has she had some unusual experiences? Yes. Does she have some unusual beliefs? Sure."
Defense summation begins.
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