Harvey Weinstein has enlisted the legal services of Luigi Mangione and attorneys associated with Sean “Diddy” Combs to represent him in his upcoming third New York rape trial. This move comes as Weinstein opted not to pursue a guilty plea to resolve the case.
Jacob Kaplan, Marc Agnifilo, and Teny Geragos have officially taken over Weinstein’s defense team, replacing his longtime lawyer, Arthur Aidala, who will now focus on Weinstein’s appeals and other legal matters. Kaplan, a previous member of Weinstein’s defense team, is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming trial, which centers on an accusation that Weinstein raped hairstylist and actor Jessica Mann in a Manhattan hotel in 2013.
The trial, originally scheduled to begin on March 3, has been postponed with no new date set. Weinstein is set to appear in court on March 4 for a status conference. Kaplan and Agnifilo are also representing Mangione in separate state and federal cases related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, achieving favorable outcomes in both cases.
Agnifilo and Geragos, who previously defended Combs in a high-profile case, are currently part of the legal team representing wealthy brothers Alon, Oren, and Tal Alexander in a sex trafficking trial in Manhattan federal court. All three attorneys are partners at the Manhattan-based law firm Agnifilo Intrater.
Weinstein’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, stated that Weinstein believes a fresh perspective and strategic approach are crucial after two previous trials on the matter. In the previous trial, Weinstein was convicted of one charge involving forcing oral sex on one woman, while another charge was acquitted, and the jury did not reach a decision on the rape charge involving Mann.
Weinstein and his legal team have been critical of the previous trial’s verdict, alleging jury bias and misconduct. However, the presiding judge has affirmed that Weinstein received a fair trial. The upcoming trial’s timing may be influenced by the ongoing high-profile cases handled by Kaplan, Agnifilo, and Geragos.
Weinstein faces a potential prison term of up to 25 years for the conviction related to the criminal sex act. The unresolved rape charge carries a maximum penalty of four years, which is less than the time Weinstein has already served. Since his initial conviction in 2020, Weinstein has been incarcerated and is also appealing a prison sentence in a separate California case.