Act Daily News
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A Los Angeles jury resumed deliberations Monday in Harvey Weinstein’s second sexual assault trial, assembly for a tenth day to resolve on a verdict after weeks of testimony.
The disgraced film mogul, who’s accused of utilizing his Hollywood affect to lure ladies into personal conferences and assault them, awaits a choice from behind bars.
Weinstein faces two counts of forcible rape and 5 counts of sexual assault associated to accusations from 4 ladies, together with Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker and the spouse of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who alleged Weinstein raped her in a resort room in 2005.
Weinstein has pleaded not responsible to all seven expenses in opposition to him. He initially confronted 11 expenses, however 4 counts related to an unnamed girl had been dropped after she didn’t testify.
The jury had already deliberated for about 37 whole hours after they adjourned final Wednesday, and not using a verdict reached.
The former movie producer is already serving a 23-year sentence for a New York sexual assault conviction. His attorneys have appealed that conviction, which has positioned extra consideration on the result of the trial in Los Angeles.
If the jury in Los Angeles finds him responsible, Weinstein may face 60 years to life in jail, plus a further 5 years.
The Los Angeles jury has deliberated longer than the New York jury in Weinstein’s first prison trial, through which he was convicted of prison intercourse act and third-degree rape after 26 hours of deliberations.
As deliberations went on in Los Angeles, the jury requested the courtroom a query and a minimum of twice requested for testimony to be learn again. Los Angeles Superior Court officers haven’t offered specifics on these requests.
The weekslong Los Angeles trial noticed emotional testimony from Weinstein’s accusers – a mannequin, a dancer, a therapeutic massage therapist and Siebel Newsom – all of whom had been requested to recount the main points of their allegations in opposition to him, present particulars of conferences with the producer from years in the past, and clarify their reactions to the alleged assaults.
In closing arguments, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Marlene Martinez referred to as Weinstein a “titan” who used his energy in Hollywood to prey on and silence ladies.
“Rapists rape. You can look at the pattern,” fellow prosecutor Paul Thompson informed jurors.
“You have irrefutable, overwhelming evidence about the nature of this man and what he did to these women,” Thompson stated.
Meanwhile, Weinstein’s attorneys have maintained the allegations are both fabricated or occurred consensually as a part of a “transactional relationship” with the film producer, repeatedly saying there is no such thing as a proof of assault.
Defense lawyer Alan Jackson referred to as the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
The trial in Los Angeles included testimony from the 4 accusers recognized as Jane Does in courtroom, and different witnesses, together with specialists, legislation enforcement, mates of accusers and former aides to Weinstein.
Additionally, 4 ladies testified they had been subjected to comparable habits by Weinstein in different jurisdictions.
Each morning at trial, Weinstein was introduced from a correctional facility and wheeled into the Los Angeles courtroom carrying a go well with and tie and holding a composition pocket book.
His accusers all started their oftentimes emotional testimonies by figuring out him within the courtroom as he seemed on.
“He’s wearing a suit, and a blue tie and he’s staring at me,” Siebel Newsom stated final month, earlier than what was one of the emotional moments of the trial.
On Thursday of final week, protection lawyer Jackson requested jurors if they might “accept what (the Jane Does) say as gospel,” arguing what they stated was an absence of forensic proof supporting their declare.
“Five words that sum up the entirety of the prosecution’s case: ‘Take my word for it,’” Jackson stated. “‘Take my word for it that he showed up at my hotel room unannounced. Take my word for it that I showed up at his hotel room. Take my word for it that I didn’t consent. Take my phrase for it, that I stated no.’ “
Siebel Newsom described an hourslong “cat-and-mouse period,” which preceded her alleged assault. She, like different accusers, described feeling “frozen” that day.
Attorneys for Weinstein don’t deny the incident occurred, however stated he believed it was consensual.
Jackson referred to as the incident “consensual, transactional sex,” including: “Regret is not the same thing as rape. And it’s important we make that distinction in this courtroom.”
Women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred, who’s representing Jane Doe 2 within the case, informed Act Daily News she hopes the jury sees her consumer “has no motive at all to do anything but tell the truth.”
“She never sought or received any compensation … She doesn’t live in California anymore. But she is testifying because she’s been asked to testify and I hope that they see her as the young woman that she was when she met Harvey Weinstein, and the woman that she is today approximately nine to 10 years later. Her life has changed,” Allred stated.
“To be willing to subject yourself to what could be a very brutal cross-examination. That takes a very special person to do that. And she is a special person. I’m very proud,” Allred stated.
In her closing arguments, Martinez additionally highlighted the ladies who testified selected to take action regardless of realizing they might face robust circumstances in courtroom.
“The truth is that, as you sit here, we know the despicable behavior the defendant engaged in. He thought he was so powerful that people would … excuse his behavior,” Martinez stated. “That’s just Harvey being Harvey. That’s just Hollywood. And for so long that’s what everyone did. Everyone just turned their heads.”