Nike Inc asked a judge to block Michael Avenatti from having five of its sports marketing officials testify at his upcoming criminal trial, calling their testimony irrelevant to whether the California lawyer tried to extort the company. In a Thursday filing in Manhattan federal court, Nike called Avenatti’s subpoenas for testimony from sports marketing chief John Slusher and others part of an effort to “put the government’s and Nike’s conduct on trial,” and distract jurors from his own conduct. Lawyers for Avenatti did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
