A rock star needs a rock star lawyer.
Bruce Springsteen is being represented in his DWI case by attorney Mitchell Ansell, a New Jersey legal eagle who knows high profile cases, according to online court records.
Ansell previously served as co-attorney for Paul Caneiro, accused in 2018 of murdering his brother, sister-in-law and two young children, and then burning down his mansion in Colts Neck – the same upscale district Springsteen calls home.
Ansell left the case in 2019 because of “conflicts of interest”, with a source saying at the time that he previously represented Caneiro’s third brother in a civil matter.
Last year, Ansell took on the case of a decidedly less established musician, defending a fellow lawyer and local cover artist arrested for presenting an outdoor show in honor of Pink Floyd, in violation of coronavirus precautions.
Ansell argued that aspiring David Gilmour, John Maldjian, only planned to broadcast the show virtually to a domestic audience, and never invited revelers who defied the rules of social distance to stir.
Madjian ended up pleading guilty to violating a noise decree, agreeing to pay a $ 1,000 fine and perform 40 hours of community service, according to The Asbury Park Press.
Ansell will now represent a genuine musical icon.
Springsteen, 71, was hit on charges, including DWI, after a ranger allegedly observed him taking a shot of tequila inside the Gateway National Recreation Area in New Jersey, and starting his motorcycle on November 14, 2020, according to with legal records.
After Springsteen refused a breathalyzer and failed a sobriety test, he was taken to a police station and underwent a mandatory exam, according to documents and sources.
In that test, he recorded a blood alcohol content of 0.02 – well below New Jersey’s legal limit for operating a 0.08 motor vehicle.
Springsteen is due to appear in federal court – since the alleged crime occurred on federal land – via videoconference later this month.
Ansell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy and Lia Eustachewich