The decision overseeing Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault trial in la dropped 4 of the eleven costs towards him on Tuesday after prosecutors stated that they do now not intend to continue with counts connected to one of the accusers.
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The 4 dropped costs – two counts of forcible rape and two counts of forcible oral copulation – were based on accusations from a female diagnosed as Jane Doe 5. However, prosecutors did now not mention her in commencing statements once they said that eight other women have been predicted to testify within the case in opposition to Weinstein.
Weinstein has pleaded now not responsible for the final seven sexual assault costs, inclusive of two counts of rape and 5 counts of sexual attack dating from 2004 to 2013.
On Tuesday, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker and the spouse of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, concluded her testimony and left the court docket in tears after a nerve-racking cross-examination all through which Weinstein’s defense tried to discredit her assault claims by using indicating she did not make clear that she did not consent and by using focusing on her endured verbal exchange with him afterward.
She testified Monday that Weinstein raped her in a motel in 2005 when she became 31 years vintage, and she or he repeated that statement at some point during the pass-exam.
“Sir, he assaulted me,” she advised protection legal professional Mark Werksman on Tuesday.
Werksman delivered her beyond testimony wherein she defined acquiescing to Weinstein that day and driven her to define that word method. Siebel Newsom became emotional and tried to speak but he interrupted her and asked if she became too tired to testify.
“What you’re doing nowadays is precisely what he did to me,” she said.
On Monday, she testified Weinstein invited her to a hotel room to speak about capacity film tasks after which raped her. When asked why she remained inside the hotel suite, she said, “because you don’t say no to Harvey Weinstein. He could make or spoil your career. I notion I was going to discuss my initiatives.”
In opening statements, Werksman stated Siebel Newsom had consensual intercourse with Weinstein because she wanted his assistance getting roles and generating films.
“She’s made herself a distinguished victim in the #MeToo motion … otherwise she’d be simply some other bimbo who slept with Harvey Weinstein to get in advance in Hollywood,” Werksman said.
Siebel Newsom, a Stanford college graduate who has written, directed, and produced several documentaries, is one among 8 women predicted to testify in the trial. Most of the women have testified underneath pseudonyms, but Siebel Newsom’s lawyers identified her as one in every of Weinstein’s sufferers.
Lawyer Elizabeth Fegan, who represents the governor’s spouse, stated in a Tuesday announcement her consumer “verified amazing power and remedy in telling her truth and stood speedy as Weinstein’s defense crew ruthlessly tried to discredit her.”
“Her braveness in the face of these harrowing instances is admirable,” Fegan said.
The trial in California is Weinstein’s second such sexual attack case considering reporting by using The new york times and the brand new Yorker in 2017 found out about his alleged history of sexual abuse, harassment, and mystery settlements as he used his influence as a Hollywood power broking to take benefit of younger ladies.
Weinstein turned into discovered responsible in 2020 in the big apple for a first-degree criminal sexual act and 1/3-diploma rape and became sentenced to 23 years in prison. He has maintained his innocence, and big apple’s maximum courtroom agreed in August to hear his enchantment inside the case.
‘it’s been haunting me
Anxious cross-exam started Monday and persisted into Tuesday. Siebel Newsom broke down in tears several times as she became asked questions about whether she went to the inn room intending to have sex with Weinstein and whether or not she had said no to him.
Werksman homed in on the reality that Siebel Newsom didn’t point out digital penetration in police interviews in 2020, and added she had idea lots about her testimony.
“You’re setting phrases in my mouth, sir,” she stated. “I provided to speak to detectives to start with to support other ladies, no longer to be right here at the witness stand.”
Werksman centered on that, noting she changed into the governor’s spouse and requested whether she concept her testimony would cause costs.
“I truely become simply telling my reality and didn’t understand what the final results become gonna be,” Siebel Newsom said.
She explained she had the recollections “in a field” and she or he becomes slowly sharing matters “because it was so painful.”
“it has been haunting me,” she stated.
Werksman also centered on why Siebel Newsom persevered to live in contact with Weinstein over email after the alleged attack, suggesting it became now not clean via her emails that “this man had completed despicable things to you.”
Siebel Newsom replied to the legal professional’s questions that she didn’t keep in mind all the emails and that all of the conversations become a strictly commercial enterprises.
Siebel Newsom said she felt the communication changed into vital for the sort of “networking” that the enterprise required, said she became scared of Weinstein and wanted to be nice to him.
“He becomes nevertheless the maximum powerful person in Hollywood,” she delivered. “this is me running, doing my job in the industry, and asking for recommendation from a man who’s in a role of electricity.”
Siebel Newsom’s testimony led to tears after prosecutor Marlene Martinez asked how she indicated she did no longer consent.
“I used to be shaking a lot within the couch location and I used to be surely crying inside the bedroom,” she told the court docket, including later, through tears, “I was trembling and I was shaking and I was crying.”
She stated she advised Weinstein “no,” together with her voice and her frame.
Martinez then asked if she had consented to penetration and oral sex with Weinstein.
“No! No!” she yelled and began to sob. She was then excused and led out of the court docket, crying as she walked down from the stand, beyond the attorneys, and out of the room.
