Act Daily News
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The second sexual assault trial of Harvey Weinstein, the previous film producer accused of utilizing his Hollywood affect to lure ladies into non-public conferences and assault them, will proceed Monday after a Los Angeles jury deliberated for one more day Friday.
Weinstein, behind bars in a medical unit, awaits a verdict on 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. He has pleaded not responsible to all prices towards him.
Jurors continued deliberating Friday after listening to weeks of testimony from dozens of witnesses. As of Friday night, jurors have been in deliberation for a complete of about 24 hours. They went residence for the weekend and can return Monday for a seventh day.
At trial, 4 of the unique 11 prices towards Weinstein tied to one of many Jane Does had been dropped with out rationalization.
Weinstein may face 60 years to life in jail, plus an extra 5 years, if the jury finds him responsible.
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.
Weinstein’s publicist, Juda Engelmayer, advised Act Daily News the previous producer is in a detention facility’s medical unit, and is anxious however “hoping for the best.”
The trial in Los Angeles included testimony from the 4 accusers recognized as Jane Does in courtroom, and different witnesses, together with consultants, regulation enforcement, pals of accusers and former aides to Weinstein.
Additionally, 4 ladies testified they had been subjected to related incidents by Weinstein in different jurisdictions.
All the accusers had been requested in courtroom 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 resort room in 2005.
In 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 ladies.
“Rapists rape. You can look at the pattern,” fellow prosecutor Paul Thompson advised 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 is no such thing as a proof of assault.
Defense legal professional Alan Jackson referred to as the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
Each morning at trial, Weinstein was introduced from a correctional facility and wheeled into the Los Angeles courtroom sporting 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 regarded 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 emotional moments of the trial.
On Thursday of final week, protection legal professional Jackson requested 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.”
Women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred, who’s representing Jane Doe 2 within the case, advised 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 realizing they might 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.”