Copperfield Taps Lawyer for Spears, HBO's Albrecht in Rape Case

Posted by Matthew Heller

Illusionist David Copperfield has hired one of Las Vegas's legal heavy-hitters to defend him from allegations that he raped a woman in the Bahamas. David Chesnoff (left), a former law partner of Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, has recently represented such celebrities as Martha Stewart in her appeal of her obstruction of justice conviction and Britney Spears in the annulment of her quickie marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander. After former HBO Chairman Chris Albrecht was busted in May for allegedly assaulting a female companion outside a Vegas casino, it was Chesnoff who negotiated his no-contest plea.

Chesnoff had been tied up in the Reno trial of Darren Mack, accused of murdering his estranged wife and shooting the judge who was handling their divorce case. But Chesnoff's calendar has now opened up as Mack entered surprise guilty pleas this week.

A professional poker player, Chesnoff usually knows to how to play his legal cards. But one blemish on his record may be his cameo appearance as himself last year in "Bachelor Party Vegas," which also featured Goodman and current law partner Richard Schonfeld. One reviewer said the straight-to-DVD comedy "never manages to rise above the level of pure idiocy."