Harvey Weinstein Restructures Legal Team Ahead of Third New York Trial

NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein has enlisted the services of Luigi Mangione and lawyers associated with Sean "Diddy" Combs to represent him in his upcoming third rape trial in New York. This strategic move comes as he opts against a guilty plea to resolve his ongoing legal issues.

The new legal team, including Jacob Kaplan, Marc Agnifilo, and Teny Geragos, confirmed their appointment through court documents filed Tuesday. They replace Weinstein’s longtime attorney, Arthur Aidala, who will now focus on Weinstein's appeals and other civil matters.

Kaplan was part of Weinstein’s original defense team back in 2018 and is anticipated to play a significant role in the defense regarding allegations that Weinstein raped hairstylist and actor Jessica Mann at a Manhattan hotel in 2013.

During a January hearing, Weinstein maintained his innocence, asserting he has “never assaulted anyone” and expressed distress over nearly six years of incarceration.

The trial, originally set to begin on March 3, is currently postponed, with Weinstein scheduled to attend a status conference on March 4.

Kaplan and Agnifilo are also involved in defending Mangione against state and federal charges related to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. They successfully had terrorism charges dismissed in the state case and prevented the death penalty in the federal case.

Agnifilo and Geragos previously represented Combs, achieving a mixed verdict in a case that included sex trafficking and racketeering charges. They are presently defending the Alexander brothers in a separate sex trafficking trial in Manhattan.

All three lawyers are partners at the Manhattan firm Agnifilo Intrater. According to Weinstein's spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, Weinstein believes that a revised strategy and outlook will provide the most effective path forward after two prior trials.

In June, Weinstein faced a split verdict: he was convicted of forcing oral sex on one woman, while acquitted of similar charges involving another. The jury could not reach a decision on the rape charge against Mann.

Weinstein’s defense team contends that the previous retrial verdict was compromised due to juror misconduct. Judge Curtis Farber, who will preside over the upcoming trial, dismissed these claims, asserting that Weinstein received a fair trial.

Weinstein's first trial in 2020 resulted in convictions for raping Mann and forcing oral sex on another woman, Miriam Haley. However, New York’s highest court later overturned these convictions, citing prejudicial testimony unrelated to the case.

Aidala, who represented Weinstein in the first trial and the retrial, is expected to continue advocating for Weinstein in appellate courts, expressing confidence that significant legal errors will be rectified, leading to the overturning of his most serious conviction.

Kaplan, Agnifilo, and Geragos are currently engaged in multiple high-profile cases, including Mangione’s trial set for June 8, which may influence the scheduling of Weinstein’s trial. Prosecutors anticipate that the trial could last up to five weeks, even with only Mann as the accuser.

Weinstein faces a potential 25-year sentence for the first-degree criminal sex act involving Haley. The unresolved third-degree rape charge concerning Mann carries a maximum penalty of four years, which is less than the time he has already served.

Since his initial conviction in 2020, the Oscar-winning producer has remained incarcerated and is also appealing a separate conviction in California.