Michael Avenatti asks to represent himself in Stormy Daniels fraud case

He then granted Avenatti permission to confer with his lawyers further before reaching a final decision. Avenatti represented himself last year when defending against embezzlement charges in California federal court.

High-profile lawyer Michael Avenatti asked on Tuesday for court permission to represent himself in a criminal trial on charges he stole from the adult film star Stormy Daniels when he represented her in lawsuits against former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The request came on the second day of a trial, where he has pleaded not guilty to two counts of wire fraud and identity theft for allegedly embezzling nearly $300,000 in book proceeds intended for Daniels, whose given name is Stephanie Clifford. Avenatti, 50, is represented by Robert Baum and Andrew Dalack of the Federal Defenders of New York, a nonprofit that represents people unable to afford their own lawyers.

"I'm making a formal application to represent myself immediately in this trial," Avenatti told U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman without the jury present. "There has been a breakdown in the relationship between me and my counsel that goes to the heart of my ability to mount a defense." Furman then told Avenatti there were "dangers and disadvantages" to representing himself. He then granted Avenatti permission to confer with his lawyers further before reaching a final decision.

Avenatti represented himself last year when defending against embezzlement charges in California federal court. That case ended in a mistrial https://www.reuters.com/world/us/michael-avenatti-trial-abruptly-ends-after-judge-faults-prosecutors-2021-08-24 after a judge ruled prosecutors had failed to turn over relevant evidence. Daniels is best-known for receiving hush money from Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, in exchange for not disclosing an alleged sexual liaison she had with Trump before the 2016 election.

Trump denies the affair happened. Avenatti later represented Daniels in a successful bid to throw out her non-disclosure agreement. Daniels is expected to testify against Avenatti this week, prosecutors said.

It is unclear whether Avenatti would testify in his own defense, a generally risky move that exposes criminal defendants to aggressive cross-examination by prosecutors. The trial is the latest in a slew of legal troubles that have cost Avenatti, who in 2018 while representing Daniels became a cable TV fixture and prominent Trump critic.

He lost his TV platform in March 2019 when he was arrested on charges he tried to extort Nike Inc out of as much as $25 million. Avenatti is appealing his conviction and 2-1/2-year prison term in that case.

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