Harvey Weinstein has hired a new legal team, including lawyer who once represented Rose McGowan, one of his most prominent accusers.
The disgraced mogul, who continues to battle accusations of sexual assault in New York, fired his lawyer Benjamin Brafman earlier this year.
Lawyer Jose Baez and Harvard Law School professor Ronald Sullivan, who both represented McGowar when she faced drug charges in Virginia, have confirmed they are part of Weinstein’s new team.
“Mr Weinstein steadfastly maintains his innocence in this matter and we are looking forward to assisting Mr Weinstein in his defense,” Baez said in a statement.
McGowan – who pleaded no contest when faced with drug charges, resulting in no jail time – has criticised her former lawyers for going to work with Weinstein, who has been accused of rape.
“This is a major conflict of interest, but I knew there was shadiness going on behind the scenes,” she told The Daily Beast.
Weinstein has also added attorneys Duncan Levin and Pamela Mackey to his legal team. They will be in court this Friday, when Judge James Burke will decide whether the change in lawyers can go ahead.
Burke last week declined to dismiss charges against Weinstein, who had wanted to toss out the case on basis of misconduct on the investigators part. He is accused of raping one woman and forcfully performing oral sex on another.
