The former film producer and accused of several crimes of rape, Harvey Weinstein, agreed with his lawyer Benjamin Brafman to stop acting as his defender, a move that now has to accept the judge of the case as it means modifying his legal team.
In a joint statement, Weinstein and Brafman reported this decision by mutual consent, which comes just one month after the judge in his case in New York rejected the dismissal of his case and set May 6 as the starting date of the judgment.
“Both parties have agreed to separate in a friendly manner and Mr. Brafman has agreed to cooperate fully with Mr. Weinstein’s new defense to ensure an orderly transition,” they said in the statement, which was accessed by local media.
The legal divorce comes after several media reported earlier this week dissension between Brafman and the US producer, who wanted to expand his legal team, a decision that did not please his lawyer.
Although Weinstein is expected to present his new representatives next week, he must first get approval for the change of Manhattan Criminal Court Judge James Burke.
Brafman is a reputed celebrity lawyer – like Sean Combs or Jay-Z – and has defended Weinstein since he was arrested last spring.
Weinstein, 66 years old and once the most influential producer in Hollywood, is accused of raping a woman in a New York hotel room in 2013 and forcing oral sex on another woman in his Manhattan apartment in 2006.
In total there are five charges of serious crimes that face: two charges of sexual assault predator, a charge of sexual intercourse in the first degree and one violation in the first degree and another violation in the third degree. (EFEUSA) .-
