Act Daily News
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A Los Angeles jury is assembly Tuesday for a 3rd day of deliberations within the sexual assault trial of former film producer Harvey Weinstein, who’s awaiting a verdict whereas already serving jail time for a rape conviction in New York.
Weinstein is accused of utilizing his Hollywood affect to lure ladies into personal conferences and assault them. In Los Angeles, he faces two counts of forcible rape and 5 counts of sexual assault involving 4 ladies – a mannequin, a dancer, a therapeutic massage therapist and a producer. Weinstein has pleaded not responsible to all prices towards him.
By the tip of Monday, jurors had been deliberating for greater than six hours with no verdict.
If the jury finds Weinstein responsible, the 70-year-old former film producer might face 60 years to life in jail, plus a further 5 years.
Midway by means of the trial, 4 of the unique 11 prices towards Weinstein tied to a fifth Jane Doe had been dropped with out clarification.
The weekslong trial included testimony from the 4 accusers recognized as Jane Does in courtroom, and dozens of witnesses, together with consultants, legislation enforcement, mates of accusers and former aides to Weinstein.
Additionally, 4 ladies testified they had been subjected to comparable incidents by Weinstein in different jurisdictions.
During their testimonies, all of the accusers had been requested to recount the main points of their allegations towards Weinstein, present particulars of conferences with the producer from years in the past and clarify their reactions to the alleged assaults.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker and the spouse of California Gov. Gavin Newsom – recognized by her attorneys as Jane Doe 4 – alleged Weinstein raped her in a lodge room in 2005.
In her closing arguments Wednesday, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Marlene Martinez known 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 mentioned.
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 isn’t any proof of assault.
Defense lawyer Alan Jackson known as the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
Weinstein is already serving a 23-year sentence after being convicted of a prison intercourse act and third-degree rape throughout a 2020 trial in New York. His attorneys have appealed the conviction.
Each morning throughout his trial in Los Angeles, Weinstein was introduced from a correctional facility and wheeled into the 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 appeared on.
“He’s wearing a suit, and a blue tie and he’s staring at me,” Siebel Newsom mentioned final month, earlier than what was one of the crucial emotional testimonies jurors heard through the trial.
On Thursday, protection lawyer Jackson requested the jurors if they might “accept what (the Jane Does) say as gospel,” arguing what they mentioned 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 mentioned. “‘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 word for it, that I said 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 mentioned he believed it was consensual.
Jackson known 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 shopper “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 mentioned.
“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 mentioned.
In her closing arguments, Martinez additionally highlighted that the ladies who testified selected to take action regardless of figuring out they’d face powerful situations 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 mentioned. “That’s just Harvey being Harvey. That’s just Hollywood. And for so long that’s what everyone did. Everyone just turned their heads.”