Act Daily News
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A Los Angeles jury will return Tuesday to proceed its deliberations within the second sexual assault trial of disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein, who’s accused of utilizing his Hollywood affect to lure girls into non-public conferences and assault them.
In complete, jurors have been deliberating for greater than six hours as of Monday. Deliberations will resume Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. PT (12:30 p.m. ET).
Weinstein faces two counts of forcible rape and 5 counts of sexual assault involving 4 girls – a mannequin, a dancer, a therapeutic massage therapist and a producer. He has pleaded not responsible to all prices towards him.
The 70-year-old former film producer might face 60 years to life in jail, plus an extra 5 years, if the jury finds him responsible.
Midway by way of the trial, 4 of the unique 11 prices towards Weinstein tied to a fifth Jane Doe have been dropped with out clarification.
In her closing arguments Wednesday, 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 girls.
“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 a proof of assault.
Defense lawyer Alan Jackson referred to as the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
The weekslong trial included testimony from the 4 accusers recognized as Jane Does in courtroom, and dozens of witnesses, together with specialists, legislation enforcement, mates of accusers and former aides to Weinstein.
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 resort room in 2005.
Jane Doe 1, a mannequin and actress, testified she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein in a resort room whereas she was there for the Los Angeles Italia Film Festival in 2013.
An actress, recognized as Jane Doe 2, informed jurors she was assaulted by Weinstein in 2013 after going to a gathering to debate a script. And Jane Doe 3, a therapeutic massage therapist, mentioned Weinstein assaulted her after she gave him a therapeutic massage in his resort room in 2010.
Additionally, 4 girls testified they have been subjected to related incidents by Weinstein in different jurisdictions.
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 swimsuit 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 probably the most emotional testimonies jurors heard throughout 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 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.”
Among those that testified throughout the trial, which noticed the ladies be questioned about how they responded to the alleged assaults, was forensic psychiatrist Dr. Barbara Ziv.
Ziv – who additionally testified in Weinstein’s New York trial – in November informed the courtroom some victims of sexual assault don’t combat again. They might freeze, she mentioned.
She additionally mentioned sexual assault victims might not report what occurred, as they cope with disgrace and self-blame, and it isn’t unusual for victims to have subsequent contact with the perpetrator.
“Some people have continued contact because they want to decrease collateral damage,” Ziv mentioned.
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 the ladies who testified selected to take action regardless of realizing they might face robust 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.”