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A28 u.s. news
Dialuna 27 December 2021

Avenatti likely to testify at trial over Stormy Daniels deal

(AP) — There is a strong
likelihood that Michael
Avenatti will testify at a
New York trial where the
once high-flying Cali-
fornia lawyer is accused
of swindling porn star
Stormy Daniels out of a
book deal’s proceeds, his
lawyers say.

The lawyers mentioned the
likely testimony in a let-
ter Thursday as they asked a
judge to postpone his Jan. 24
trial for four months. “is a strong likelihood that Avenatti’s rights to trial by an resenting a California ama- money from his clients. His
Mr. Avenatti will testify in his impartial jury and to be free teur basketball league coach first trial ended in a mistrial
They cited voluminous ma- own defense.” of coercive verdicts.” when prosecutors said he in August.
terials they say were recently threatened to use his access Avenatti, who remains under
demanded by prosecutors in They also urged the post- Avenatti, who became well to media exposure to muddy house arrest in California,
the event Avenatti planned to ponement on the grounds known in 2018 from fre- the sportswear giant’s name had successfully cited the
testify. that a dramatic rise in coro- quent appearances on cable if it didn’t pay him up to $25 January trial date in the book
navirus cases in New York television shows when he million. proceeds case as an excuse to
The demands were con- in recent weeks would make represented Daniels in law- delay reporting to prison.
tained in a subpoena that the it hard to get a proper cross- suits against then-President Sentenced to 2 1/2 years in
lawyers said identified “vast section of the community as Donald Trump, did not tes- prison last July, Avenatti has In October, prosecutors
categories of documents that jurors. tify at a trial that ended early managed to avoid beginning urged a judge to require Av-
go to the heart of the allega- last year with his conviction his prison term as he pre- enatti to begin serving his
tions in this case, as well as “By all accounts, the situation on charges that he tried to ex- pares for the book proceeds prison term.
defenses available to Mr. Av- is only going to get worse in tort tens of millions of dollars trial along with a retrial in
enatti.” the coming weeks,” the law- from Nike. California on federal charges Prosecutors declined com-
yers wrote. “Trial during this alleging that he stole mil- ment Friday through a
The lawyers wrote that there surge also compromises Mr. In that case, Avenatti was rep- lions of dollars in settlement spokesperson.

Major storm dumps snow, closes mountain routes in California

(AP) — A major Christ- “Cancellations and delays are dangerously low levels af-
mas weekend storm possible, so it will be impor- ter weeks for dry weather.
caused whiteout condi- tant to check your flight sta- But the state Department of
tions and closed key high- tus today if flying through Water Resources reported
ways amid blowing snow Terminal 5,” LAX tweeted. on Christmas Eve that the
in mountains of Northern In the San Bernardino snowpack was between 114%
California and Nevada, Mountains east of Los An- and 137% of normal across
with forecasters warning geles, crews were repairing a the range with more snow
that travel in the Sierra section of State Route 18 that expected.
Nevada could be difficult washed down a hillside after
for several days. heavy rain late Thursday. The Friday night into Saturday,
closure of the major route 20 inches (50 centimeters)
A 70-mile (112-kilometer) into the Big Bear ski resort of snow fell at Homewood
stretch of Interstate 80 was area could last for weeks, of- on Lake Tahoe’s west shore.
shut Sunday from Colfax, ficials said. About a foot (30 centimeters)
California, through the Lake was reported at Northstar
Tahoe region to the Nevada The continuing storms near Truckee, California, and
state line. The California De- were welcomed in parched 10 inches (25 centimeters) at
partment of Transportation Rockslides caused by heavy to the Santa Barbara County California, where the Si- the Mount Rose ski resort on
also closed other mountain rain closed more than 40 Fire Department. No injuries erra snowpack had been at the southwest edge of Reno.
routes while warning of poor miles (64 kilometers) of were reported.
visibility and slippery condi- coastal Highway 1 in the Big
tions for drivers. Sur region south of the San More than 1.8 inches (4.5
Francisco Bay Area. There centimeters) of rain fell
“Expect major travel delays was no estimate for the re- over 24 hours in Santa Bar-
on all roads,” the National opening of the scenic stretch bara County’s San Marcos
Weather Service office in that is frequently shut after pass, while Rocky Butte in
Reno, Nevada, said on Twit- wet weather. San Luis Obispo County re-
ter. “Today is the type of day corded 1.61 inches (4 centi-
to just stay home if you can. The latest in a series of blus- meters), the weather service
More snow is on the way tery storms hit Southern said.
too!” California with heavy rain
and wind that flooded streets Los Angeles International
The weather service issued and knocked down power Airport said a “storm-related
a winter storm warning for lines late Saturday. Powerful electrical issue” forced a par-
greater Lake Tahoe until 1 gusts toppled trees, damaged tial closure of Terminal 5,
a.m. Tuesday because of pos- carports and blew a track- causing post-Christmas pas-
sible “widespread whiteout and-field shed from a Goleta sengers to divert to other ter-
conditions” and wind gusts high school into a front yard minals for certain services.
that could top 45 mph (72 two blocks away, according
kph).