Extortion or Negotiation? Avenatti’s Nike Jury Will Decide

Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who parlayed his work for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels into a platform as one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics, had a swift fall from grace in March after he was charged in New York with trying to extort millions of dollars from Nike Inc. and in California for stealing from clients.

He fell still further two weeks ago, when he was jailed for violating the terms of his bail and found himself in solitary confinement awaiting his trial in Manhattan.

Jurors will begin hearing Avenatti’s case this week, and their ...