Michael Avenatti Out On Bail After Domestic Violence Arrest In L.A.; Vows He’ll Be “Fully Exonerated” – Update
UPDATED with Avenatti news conference quotes and more details, 6:28 PM: Michael Avenatti, whose representation of Stormy Daniels in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump has vaulted the L.A. attorney into the national spotlight, was arrested Wednesday in Los Angeles for suspected domestic violence.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Deadline that Avenatti, 47, was booked and then released after posting $50,000 bail. LAPD said the will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for prosecution.
Avenatti held a brief news conference outside the police station after his release. He thanked the “hardwokring men and women of the LAPD for their professionalism and their work,” adding that “they had no option in light of the allegations.”
The lawyer then pleaded his case. “I have never struck a woman,” he told reporters. “I never will strike a woman. I have been an advocate for women’s right my entire career, and I ‘m going to continue to be an advocate. I am not going to be intimidated from stopping what I am doing. … I am looking forward to a full investigation, at which point I am confident that I will be fully exonerated.”
News reports say Avenatti was taken into custody at 3:44 PM in the 10000 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, after a woman filed a felony domestic violence police report. TMZ, which broke the news today, said the alleged incident occurred Tuesday night, and a second confrontation occurred today at an apartment building in Century City. He was taken into custody in the building’s lobby, the site reports.
News reports say Avenatti was taken into custody at 3:44 PM in the 10000 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, after a woman filed a felony domestic violence police report. TMZ, which broke the news today, said the alleged incident occurred Tuesday night, and a second confrontation occurred today at an apartment building in Century City. He was taken into custody in the building’s lobby, the site reports.
Sources told TMZ that the woman’s face was “swollen and bruised” with “red marks” on her cheeks. The LAPD, when contacted by Deadline, confirmed Avenatti’s arrest but had no further details. He has not yet been booked.
Avenatti has become a talk-show and cable news regular since Daniels (real name: Stephanie Clifford) filed a suit against Trump and his then-personal lawyer Michael Cohen disputing the validity of a non-disclosure agreement between Daniels, an adult-film star, and Trump, after media reports surfaced that the two had an affair in 2006.
The lawyer has become a thorn in Trump’s side, recently saying he is seriously evaluating a 2020 presidential bid and that he plans to arrive at a decision by early next year. He even attended key events in Iowa, where the first presidential primaries (in Iowa’s case, a caucus) are held every four years.
“In the event that Donald Trump is the nominee on the right, it’s going to take someone very unique to beat him,” Avenatti said recently at Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit.
Deadline’s Dawn Chmielewski contributed to this report.
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