Attorneys delivered opening statements on Wednesday in the New York retrial of Harvey Weinstein, with prosecutors accusing the disgraced film producer of using his immense power in Hollywood to sexually harass and abuse three women.
“The defendant wanted their bodies, and the more they resisted, the more forceful he got,” Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lucey told jurors on Wednesday.
In his third trial in five years, Weinstein is accused of sexually abusing a former television production assistant, an aspiring actress and a model.
The former film mogul has pleaded not guilty, and in court his lawyer sought to cast doubt on the women’s claims and credibility.
Attorney Arthur Aidala told the jury the prosecution’s case would “fall flat on its face” after they heard all the evidence.
“They’re going to ask you to make sense of things that just don’t make sense,” he said.
A court of appeals overturned Weinstein’s previous conviction for sex crimes in New York last April, before he was indicted on new sexual assault charges in the state in September.
Last week, 12 jurors – seven women and five men – were chosen to weigh Weinstein’s fate.
On Wednesday, Ms Lucey spent an hour delivering an opening statement, telling jurors that three women had fallen victim to the abuse of a “Hollywood gatekeeper” who held “unfettered power for over 30 years in that industry”.
The retrial in New York is centred on two women who brought allegations against Weinstein for his 2020 trial, actress Jessica Mann and former TV production assistant Miriam Haley. This time, the trial also includes allegations from former Polish model and actress Kaja Sokola, who has accused Weinstein of assaulting her when she was 16.
On Wednesday, Ms Lucey recounted the three women’s stories of assault and harassment, sparing few details. The alleged encounters often involved Weinstein bringing women to his room under the guise of a business meeting, before he allegedly forced himself onto them.
Victims “kept their shame and their pain to themselves” for years because of Weistein’s role as a man who “defined the field” of acting and film, Ms Lucey said.
During his hour of opening statements that followed, Weinstein’s attorney took a combative approach, accusing the women of having “mutually beneficial” sexual relationships with Weinstein and being motivated by money.
“These women are addicted to that fame,” Mr Aidala said. “They want to be heroes.”
Mr Aidala argued that Weinstein could not have assaulted the women because they kept in contact with him and sent him friendly messages after the encounters.
Last April, a court of appeals said Weinstein, now 73, did not receive a fair trial in New York in 2020 because the judge overseeing his case allowed testimony from women who made allegations against him for conduct he was never charged over.
Weinstein had been serving a 23-year sentence in a New York prison after being convicted.
He was also found guilty of rape in a separate trial in California in 2022 and was sentenced to 16 years in that case.
Weinstein has several medical conditions, including cancer and diabetes. In September, he was taken to hospital for heart surgery and has been held in a secure hospital unit.
A judge has approved a request from Weinstein’s lawyers to let him stay at the Bellevue hospital in Manhattan when he is not in court.
His lawyers had complained that he was receiving poor medical treatment in unhygienic conditions at the infamous Rikers Island prison facility – which officials have long said they plan to close – though the move has been delayed.
In total, Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct, assault and rape by more than 100 women.
He is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison, as he has yet to begin serving his 16-year California sentence.
The decision by his accusers to come forward, and his subsequent conviction in New York, galvanised the #MeToo movement against sex abuse by powerful men.
Speaking to jurors on Wednesday, Ms Lucey said the movement had allowed the three women to come forward in the criminal case against Weinstein after they “suddenly realized they were not alone”.
Before the allegations against him emerged, Weinstein and his brother Bob were among Hollywood’s ultimate power players.
Weinstein co-founded Miramax film studio, whose hits included Shakespeare in Love, which won best picture at the Academy Awards, and Pulp Fiction.
His films have received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 wins.
The former film mogul has also faced a number of civil lawsuits, including from a group of women who accused him of sexual harassment and rape and reached a $19m (£14.2) settlement with him in 2020.
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