The primary of three accusers anticipated to testify at Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial took the witness stand on Tuesday, reprising her testimony from his first #MeToo trial 5 years in the past.
Miriam Haley, a former TV and film manufacturing assistant, alleges that the previous film mogul forcibly carried out oral intercourse on her at his New York Metropolis residence in 2006.
Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg, who inherited the case from his predecessor, watched from the courtroom gallery as Haley testified. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, sat behind Bragg.
Haley started by talking about her arduous upbringing in Finland and Sweden, her curiosity within the performing arts and her entry into the film enterprise as an assistant to the late “Rocky Horror Picture Show” producer Michael White.
Haley is on the witness stand at the beginning of the second week of testimony in Weinstein’s retrial. Two of her mates, who mentioned she informed them in regards to the alleged assault, testified final week.
Haley initially expressed some reluctance to testify once more after a New York appeals courtroom final 12 months overturned Weinstein’s landmark conviction and ordered a brand new trial.
The state’s Courtroom of Appeals threw out Weinstein’s convictions and 23-year jail sentence and ordered a brand new trial after discovering that the unique one was tainted by “egregious” judicial rulings and prejudicial testimony.
Haley didn’t take a look at Weinstein as she entered the courtroom via a aspect door and walked swiftly to the witness stand, however was compelled to when a prosecutor requested her to level him out in courtroom. The ex-studio boss, sitting between his attorneys, checked out her as she handed by and once more as she recognized him from the stand.
In an indication of how hard-fought Haley’s testimony is more likely to be, she had barely began answering a prosecutor’s questions when Weinstein’s attorneys objected to queries about bodily abuse that she says she suffered as a baby. She was allowed to reply, and her voice caught briefly afterward earlier than she composed herself.
Weinstein’s attorneys objected to related questions at his first trial and had been principally overruled with out a lot dialogue. This time round, with a distinct choose presiding, they’re redoubling their efforts to peel away outer layers of testimony that they are saying is irrelevant or more likely to confuse jurors.
Weinstein, 73, faces expenses involving two girls from his authentic trial in 2020: one rely of prison intercourse act in reference to Haley’s allegations and one rely of third-degree rape for allegedly assaulting then-aspiring actor Jessica Mann in a Manhattan resort room in 2013.
He’s additionally being tried for the primary time on an allegation from Kaja Sokola, a former mannequin who wasn’t part of the primary case. Weinstein is charged with one rely of prison intercourse act for allegedly forcing oral intercourse on Sokola at a Manhattan resort in 2006.
Mann and Sokola are additionally anticipated to testify.
Weinstein has pleaded not responsible and denies that he raped or sexually assaulted anybody.
Haley testified on the 2020 trial that Weinstein pushed her onto a mattress at his Manhattan residence in June 2006 and compelled oral intercourse on her, undeterred by her kicks and pleas of, “No, please don’t do this, I don’t want it.”
Two of Haley’s mates testified final Thursday that she had informed them in regards to the alleged July 2006 sexual assault round that point.
Elizabeth Entin, Haley’s former roommate who additionally testified on the first trial, mentioned a shaken Haley informed her that month that Weinstein had forcibly carried out oral intercourse on her. Entin mentioned she urged Haley name a lawyer, however her buddy appeared disinclined.
One other buddy, Christine Pressman, nonetheless, mentioned she suggested a “distraught” Haley to not go to the police when she made an analogous disclosure to her in August or September 2006.
Haley, who has additionally passed by the identify Mimi Haleyi, acknowledged in her earlier testimony that she stored in contact with Weinstein, exchanged heat messages with him, and accepted an invite to his resort room two weeks after the alleged assault, the place he pulled her into mattress for intercourse.
Underneath New York regulation relevant on the time, Weinstein has not being charged with rape in reference to Haley’s allegations.
