Coach who hired Michael Avenatti says he wanted to expose Nike, not in press conference - Reuters
Gary Franklin, the founder and coach of youth basketball team California Supreme, nevertheless maintained that Avenatti never told him he might hold a press conference about the accusations, or wanted Nike to hire him for a costly internal probe, or else would seek $22.5 million to buy his silence.
"Do you have any doubt that the defendant did not mention any of those things at any time?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman asked Franklin, following the coach's cross-examination by Avenatti's lawyer.
"No," Franklin responded.
The trial in Manhattan federal court will resume on Monday, the ninth day of testimony.
Avenatti has pleaded not guilty to trying to shake down Nike by threatening last March to expose its alleged misconduct unless it paid him and celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos up to $25 million for the internal probe, and paid Franklin $1.5 million.
