Avenatti Gets Temporary Release From Jail Over Virus Risk
Apr. 11, 2020
A California federal judge late Friday ordered Michael Avenatti released from a Manhattan detention center, granting the embattled lawyer who faces two criminal trials and sentencing in a third case a 90-day reprieve from jail amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Santa Ana, California, U.S. District Judge James V. Selna ordered Avenatti, 49, to be released on $1 million bond to a Venice, California, residence where he will be subject to electronic monitoring and other restrictions. He must first be quarantined for 14 days to make sure he has not contracted COVID-19 while jailed in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, the order says.
“This order does not withdraw … this court’s finding, that there is probable cause to believe that defendant committed state and federal crimes while on pretrial release [and] that defendant is a danger to the community,” wrote Judge Selna, who ordered him jailed earlier this year.
Noting the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, where the number of cases and deaths has risen sharply, Judge Selna more recently invited Avenatti to request that the court reconsider its decision denying his bid for release.
While on release in the Venice home of Jay Manheimer, his custodian, Avenatti will be able to review printouts of legal documents to prepare his defense but may not access the internet by himself, Friday’s order says. He is set to stand trial Aug. 18 in California on charges of defrauding clients and bankruptcy fraud.
On Feb. 14, Avenatti was found guilty of extorting Nike. He also is set to stand trial in Manhattan starting July 14 on charges of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from former client Stormy Daniels. In the Nike case he is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17.
Avenatti’s lawyer declined comment. Avenatti is represented by H. Dean Steward.
The government is represented by Julian L. André and Brett A. Sagel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The case is U.S. v. Avenatti, case number 8:19-cr-00061, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
