On this file photograph, Michael Avenatti departs a scheduled sentencing at Manhattan federal courtroom, Thursday, July 8, 2021, in New York. (AP Photograph/John Minchillo)
NEW YORK --
Michael Avenatti jumped on the likelihood to signify porn star Stormy Daniels in 2018, saying he'd do it for a greenback, one other California lawyer testified Wednesday at Avenatti's prison trial.
The testimony by the lawyer, Sean Ernesto Macias, was anticipated to set the stage for Daniels to take the witness stand on Thursday.
Avenatti took over illustration of himself from different attorneys on Tuesday as he asserts his innocence towards wire fraud and aggravated id theft prices filed by prosecutors who declare Avenatti cheated Daniels of practically $300,000 she was owed from a ebook deal.
Avenatti, 50, denies it, saying it was all the time understood that he would share within the proceeds of a few of Daniels' tasks, together with the writing of her autobiography, notably as a result of an settlement the pair signed solely required Daniels to pay him $100.
Macias, who peppered his hour of testimony with colourful solutions, drew laughter all through the Manhattan courtroom when he recognized Avenatti by saying: "He is the good-looking fellow with the shaved head."
However, at different occasions, he appeared so emotional that he paused earlier than answering to gather himself, saying at one level: "I nonetheless really feel unhealthy for him in a bizarre approach."
Macias mentioned he'd identified Daniels for a number of years when she reached out to him in 2018 to hunt authorized illustration to alter the phrases of her $130,000 deal made shortly earlier than the 2016 presidential election to be silent about her claims that she'd had a sexual tryst with then-President Donald Trump a decade earlier. Trump has denied it.
Macias mentioned he was with Avenatti someday when he talked about that Daniels was "blowing up my telephone" over the topic.
"I may be on this," he recalled Avenatti telling him.
He mentioned he believed that Daniels simply needed to change her deal so she might converse publicly about her encounter with Trump and obtain extra money, however Avenatti "needed to go large" with an look on CBS's "60 Minutes."
"He advised her: `I am going to cost you a greenback,"' Macias recalled.
A prosecutor, Mathew Podolsky, requested Macias if Avenatti thanked him for introducing him to Daniels. The lawyer mentioned Avenatti gave him a Cartier watch in the summertime of 2018. However by Labor Day weekend, Avenatti appeared deflated and melancholy at a Las Vegas conference for attorneys.
"He appeared just a little extra agitated than he usually was and he appeared just a little needy," Macias mentioned.
"I mentioned: `What occurred to you?"' Macias recalled.
Avenatti responded: "She's going loopy," referring to Daniels, Macias mentioned.
He mentioned Avenatti claimed the ebook writer hadn't paid her as scheduled on her $800,000 advance, that Daniels was contemplating talking publicly about her complaints and "she's going to blow this deal up."
Prosecutors have advised jurors that Avenatti was pocketing funds destined for her, funneling among the cash into his regulation observe's payroll bills and private bills.
"He needed me to signify her to sue the ebook publishing firm," Macias mentioned.
Then, days later, Avenatti confirmed up at his workplace saying he was "jammed up and wanted assist" as a result of he was about to be evicted from his regulation workplace area and wanted assist assembly his payroll, he mentioned.
"I used to be shocked he wanted cash," Macias mentioned, noting that Avenatti was showing often on the time on cable tv information applications.
Avenatti mentioned he wanted somebody to mortgage him $250,000, Macias mentioned.
Macias mentioned he positioned a lawyer, Mark Geragos, prepared to mortgage Avenatti that quantity.
"He referred to him as `El Presidente' and mentioned, `Why not?"' Macias mentioned.
Geragos didn't instantly reply to a message looking for remark.
When Avenatti cross examined Macias, he requested him if he'd had alcohol or medication within the day earlier than his testimony and if he was "extremely excited" when Avenatti was contemplating working for president.
Macias recalled that he drank a glass of champagne on Tuesday. And, of the search for the presidency, he testified: "You needed me to be chief of employees. I mentioned: `Make me ambassador to France. That'd be superior!"'
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