Film producer Weinstein's retrial begins as he made victims ‘feel small’
Kyiv • UNN
Harvey Weinstein's retrial has begun in New York. He is accused of rape and assault, with the prosecutor saying he abused his power to humiliate victims.
A new trial has begun for Harvey Weinstein in a sexual assault case. UNN reports with reference to L'Agence France-Presse and RTVE.
Details
The retrial of film producer Harvey Weinstein on charges of rape and sexual assault began on Wednesday in a courtroom in Manhattan.
Prosecutor Shannon Lucy presented the charges of three victims.
The prosecutor described how he ignored the pleas of his victims to stop and abused his position to make them "feel small."
He had all the power, they had none
Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, dismissed the characterization, saying that the former boss of Miramax studio had "mutually beneficial" relationships with his accusers.
One of the victims is Kaya Sokola, a Polish model at the time. She was not a participant in the previous trial. At the time of the attack, she was 19 years old. She accused Weinstein of sexually assaulting her in a hotel in Manhattan.
The court also considered the case of producer assistant Mimi Hali, who refused Weinstein's numerous requests for massage and sexual favors.
Once, in 2006, she "found herself alone" in an apartment with a former producer.
The defendant, three times her size, kissed her, groped her, and (although) she told him she wasn't interested," he "grabbed her (...) and pushed her into the bedroom" where he performed oral sex, despite the victim "begging him to stop
When he wanted something, he just took it. This court is about the most powerful person in the entertainment industry. Harvey Weinstein is guilty
Reference
The former film magnate returned to the dock in a Manhattan criminal court after an appeals court overturned his previous 23-year rape and sexual assault sentence in April 2024 due to procedural flaws in the previous trial.
Accuser drops rape suit against Jay-Z and Sean Combs15.02.25, 16:58 • 22833 views