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Renowned criminal defence lawyer Brian Greenspan has quit the Peter Nygard case.
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Greenspan appeared in a downtown Toronto courtroom Wednesday and asked to be removed as solicitor for the disgraced fashion mogul who was convicted by a jury in November on four counts of sexual assault.
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He also took pains to emphasize that the breakdown was not over money.
“It is in no way related to fees,” Greenspan said. “It has nothing to do with fees.”
Nygard, 82, appeared virtually from his hospital bed at the Toronto South Detention Centre where he said he was “very, very ill” and almost died. He agreed that he was looking for a new lawyer but until then, didn’t want Greenspan removed.
Goldstein assured him that Greenspan would fulfill all his obligations in transferring the file to a new lawyer and there was no need to delay his request to be removed.
The judge urged him to find new counsel as quickly as possible and Crown Ana Serban served notice that at his next appearance on Jan. 30 prosecutors will want to set a sentencing date whether or not he has a new lawyer.
During the trial, his accusers described how Nygard used his wealth and power to lure them to tour his downtown office building and then attacked them in his private bedroom suite.
He still faces similar charges in Manitoba and Quebec and is also fighting extradition to the U.S., where he faces charges in New York for conspiracy to commit racketeering, transportation of a minor for purpose of prostitution, and sex trafficking.
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