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Harvey Weinstein announces new defense team

Jose Baez and Harvard Law School professor Ronald Sullivan will spearhead Weinstein's new defense team, according to a statement CNN obtained Wednesday.
They defended Casey Anthony in her acquittal in the death of her 2-year-old daughter as well as Aaron Hernandez, the former NFL star who took his life while serving a murder sentence in prison.
"I am pleased to confirm that I along with Jose Baez have been retained by Harvey Weinstein," according to the statement released by Sullivan.
"Mr. Weinstein steadfastly maintains his innocence in this matter and we are looking forward to assisting Mr. Weinstein in his defense."
Harvey Weinstein leaves court in Manhattan in December.
The disgraced movie mogul whose downfall helped launch the #MeToo movement is accused of raping a woman in a New York hotel room in 2013 and forcibly performing oral sex on another woman at his Manhattan apartment in 2006.
He faces five felony charges: two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree and one count each of first-degree rape and third-degree rape. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Weinstein and Brafman made their split official Thursday in a joint statement, saying they agreed to "part ways amicably."
Ashley Judd's harassment claims against Weinstein dismissed, but defamation suit can go on
Brafman agreed to cooperate with the new attorneys to ensure an "orderly transition," the statement said.
All are expected to be in court at 9:30 a.m. Friday to make the transition official before Judge James Burke.
"We have put together a strong defense team who have the expertise and experience to rightly present the narrative, through needed due process, which has been subjectively shaped by too many others until now," a spokesman for Weinstein said in a statement.
New York attorney Duncan Levin confirmed Wednesday he will be local counsel for Weinstein since Sullivan and Baez are from out of state. Levin will not be trying the case. He previously was a prosecutor at the US Justice Department as well as on senior staff in the Manhattan district attorney's office.
Brafman, whose earlier clients include Martin Shkreli, Plaxico Burress, Sean Combs and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, declined to comment on Weinstein's new defense team.
Weinstein judge declines to dismiss charges in rape case, sets pretrial hearing for March
In the joint statement last week, Brafman reiterated his belief that Weinstein would be exonerated.
"Brafman personally wished Mr. Weinstein the best of luck as he defends the case and the accusations that Mr. Weinstein has vehemently denied," according to the statement.
Speaking to CNN in August, Brafman said it would be "difficult but not impossible" to seat an impartial jury in Weinstein's trial.
Weinstein had faced a sixth felony charge, but it was dismissed in October after a New York police detective was found to have mishandled evidence. Weinstein's petition to dismiss the remaining charges was declined in December.

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