London - The lawyer who got OJ Simpson off murder charges will defend Donald Trump at his impeachment trial, it was announced on Friday night.
Alan Dershowitz will be joined in a new legal "Dream Team" by Ken Starr, the lawyer whose investigation of Bill Clinton over his affair with Monica Lewinsky led to the last presidential impeachment.
Professor Dershowitz, a well-known celebrity lawyer in the US, also represented convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Harvard University law professor has vehemently denied claims by Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts, and others, that he took part in their abuse.
The two high-profile lawyers were reportedly brought in after the President complained that his defence team lacked trial experience and ‘star power’. Professor Dershowitz was part of the team of lawyers who won the 1995 acquittal of actor and sportsman OJ Simpson on charges of murdering his estranged wife and her friend.
President Donald Trump's legal team will include former Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz. Picture: Richard Drew/AP/African News Agency (ANA)
US senators were sworn in as jurors on Thursday for the trial, which re-starts on Tuesday. The Senate will hear evidence from senior Democrats in the House of Representatives that Mr Trump abused his office by pressuring Ukraine to dig up dirt on Democratic election rival Joe Biden.
Mr Trump, who has also been accused of obstructing Congress, denies wrongdoing.