MANHATTAN: Avenatti Withdraws Motion To Appear In Cohen Case, Demands Release Of “Trump Tapes”

Courthouse News reports:



A federal judge warned the lawyer for porn actress Stormy Daniels on Wednesday that his attacks against the president’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, could interfere in Cohen’s rights to a fair trial. Wrapping up a heated one-hour hearing this morning, U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood emphasized that the proceedings here are “a potential precursor to a criminal trial if charges are filed against Mr. Cohen.”

“I either want you to participate, or not be in the matter at all,” Wood told Avenatti. “I don’t want you to have some existence in a limbo where you’re free to denigrate Mr. Cohen, and I believe potentially deprive him of a fair trial by tainting a jury pool. This conduct is inimicable to giving Mr. Cohen eventually a fair trial.” The dressing-down came after Cohen’s attorney Stephen Ryan urged the court to exclude California-based Avenatti from the proceedings.