Harvey Weinstein has enlisted the legal services of Luigi Mangione and attorneys who previously represented Sean “Diddy” Combs for his upcoming third New York rape trial. This move follows Weinstein’s decision not to resolve the case through a guilty plea, prompting a reshuffling of his legal team.
Jacob Kaplan, Marc Agnifilo, and Teny Geragos, as confirmed in court documents filed on Tuesday, have taken over from Weinstein’s longtime attorney, Arthur Aidala, who has shifted his focus to Weinstein’s appeals and pending civil matters. Kaplan, a member of Weinstein’s original defense team in 2018, is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming trial, which revolves around allegations that Weinstein raped hairstylist and actor Jessica Mann in a Manhattan hotel in 2013.
Weinstein, in a January hearing, maintained his innocence, stating he had never assaulted anyone and expressing the toll his nearly six years behind bars had taken on his spirit.
The trial, initially set for March 3 but postponed, has yet to be rescheduled. Weinstein is scheduled to appear in court on March 4 for a status conference. Kaplan and Agnifilo are currently representing Mangione in separate state and federal cases related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, achieving substantial legal victories in both cases.
Agnifilo and Geragos, known for their defense of Combs in previous cases, are actively involved in high-profile legal matters, including the defense of the Alexander brothers in a sex trafficking trial in Manhattan federal court.
Weinstein’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, stated that Weinstein believes a fresh perspective and strategic approach are crucial as he heads into his third trial. In a previous trial, Weinstein was convicted of one charge involving Miriam Haley, acquitted of another charge involving Kaja Sokola, and faced a hung jury on the rape charge involving Mann.
The retrial was ordered by New York’s highest court after Weinstein’s initial convictions were overturned due to prejudicial testimony. Weinstein and Aidala, who represented him in the appeal and previous trials, have amicably agreed on Aidala’s shifting role in the legal team.
Weinstein, facing a potential 25-year prison sentence for the conviction involving Haley, has been incarcerated since his initial 2020 conviction. The unresolved rape charge involving Mann carries a maximum penalty of four years, less than the time Weinstein has already served.
Weinstein’s legal team, entrenched in various high-profile cases, including Mangione’s state trial set to begin in June, faces challenges that could impact the timing of Weinstein’s trial. Despite having only Mann as an accuser in this trial, prosecutors anticipate a trial duration of up to five weeks.
Weinstein, also contending with a separate legal battle in California, where he is appealing a prison sentence, remains embroiled in legal proceedings as he prepares for his upcoming trial.