Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault retrial in New York begins with opening statements
Harvey Weinstein's retrial started with opening statements on Wednesday in New York City, five years after the original trial was a catalyst in the #MeToo movement.
The 73-year-old disgraced movie mogul is being retried on a criminal sex act charge for allegedly forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant at her apartment in 2006, and a third-degree rape charge for allegedly assaulting an aspiring actor at a Manhattan hotel in 2013.
The prosecution's opening statement
Weinstein sat in a wheelchair and listened as prosecutors told the jury he was a Hollywood gatekeeper, someone with enormous control who "decided who was in and who was out," and used opportunities as weapons.
"He knew how addictive Hollywood dreams were," prosecutors said.
Mimi Haley alleges he forced oral sex on her in 2006.
Jessica Mann alleges he raped her in a Manhattan hotel in 2013.
Kaja Sokola says Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006 when she was 19. Prosecutors told jurors, "She was crying and said, 'Please, don't do this.'" Prosecutors also detailed her first alleged sexual encounter with him when she was just 16, which is not a part of the charges. They said Weinstein "strung them along the way one does with an addict," promising parts in movies.
"If he was told no, he got what he wanted by force," prosecutors said.
The defense's opening statement
The defense told the jury, "The casting couch is not a crime scene" and called the encounters "mutually beneficial relationships," adding the women would use Weinstein to try and cut the line in Hollywood, and, in turn, they would fool around with him consensually.
The defense called the alleged behavior on both sides immoral, adding Weinstein shouldn't have cheated on his wife. It called the accusers "manipulative and conniving," and told the jury to use its New York common sense.
"When they hear the witnesses and they see all of the inconsistencies and the lies, they will realize the case was not proved," attorney Arthur Aidala said.
Lindsay Goldbrum and Allred, who are representing Sokola and Haley, respectively, had an entirely different take.
"Weinstein's attorneys opened with a statement that was full of victim blaming and rape myths. If it were not for the 100-plus women came forward with allegations against Weinstein, we may never have seen a #MeToo movement," said Lindsay Goldbrum, Sokola's personal attorney.
"I think these women who are going to testify are very brave," Allred said.
The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.
Harvey Weinstein looked serious as he greeted the judge
According to CBS News New York's Alice Gainer, who was inside the courtroom, the jury started receiving instructions just after 11 a.m., and there was a lot less media coverage than during the last trial.
Because Weinstein is in custody, serving 16 years for a rape conviction in Los Angeles, he was brought into the Manhattan courthouse by officers and was not captured on camera.
- Read more: Actor Ashley Judd discusses overturned Weinstein conviction: "Sexual violence is such a thief"
Weinstein looked serious, but he did smile briefly, and said, "Good morning, your honor," to the judge.
Imran Ansari, one of Aidala's legal partners, addressed reporters.
"Harvey Weinstein is fighting the charges against him, whether it be here in New York or in California. That conviction is up on appeal. We were successful with the appeal here in New York and we are optimistic about that appeal in L.A.," Ansari said. "What you can take from this is that he has fought from the beginning the charges against him and he's not stopping."
Weinstein's attorneys added he has cancer and is not in good health.
What we know about the jurors in Harvey Weinstein's retrial
After a dayslong selection process yielded a seven-woman, five-man jury and five alternate jurors by Monday, prosecutors and Weinstein's lawyers finished choosing a sixth and final alternate on Tuesday. Alternates step in if a member of the main panel can't see the trial through.
Drawn from Manhattan's jury pool, the 12 members of the main jury for the New York retrial include a physics researcher, a photographer, a dietitian, a therapist, an investment bank software engineer and a fire safety director. Others have experience in real estate, TV commercials, debt collection, social work and other fields.
One has a high school equivalency degree. Others have master's degrees. Some have served as jurors or grand jurors multiple times before; others, never.
The main jury is more female than the five women and seven men who convicted Weinstein at his first trial five years ago.
