Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted younger ladies hoping to make it in Hollywood, a Los Angeles prosecutor argued on Monday, whereas the previous producer’s legal professional mentioned his accusers willingly took half in a “casting sofa” tradition to spice up their careers.
Weinstein, the person who turned the face of #MeToo allegations 5 years in the past, is at the moment serving a 23-year jail sentence for intercourse crimes in New York. He’s now on trial in Los Angeles on 11 fees of rape and sexual assault and has pleaded not responsible.
In opening statements, Deputy District Legal professional Paul Thompson provided graphic particulars and quotes from ladies who mentioned Weinstein invited them to lodge rooms for purported enterprise conferences between 1991 and 2015.
“He was attempting to maintain his penis in my mouth,” Thompson quoted one as saying. He quoted one other as saying Weinstein undressed her and fondled her breast whereas masturbating. Weinstein, seated within the courtroom in a darkish go well with and tie, often shook his head whereas Thompson spoke.
Alleged incidents involving 4 of the ladies are the idea of the costs in opposition to Weinstein. The opposite 4 ladies, who had encounters outdoors of Los Angeles, shall be introduced by prosecutors to attempt to set up a sample of conduct.
Weinstein lawyer Mark Werksman instructed jurors that every allegation was a “weak and unsubstantiated trickle that can evaporate upon your shut scrutiny.”
“You’ll study that in Hollywood, intercourse was a commodity,” Werksman mentioned. “It was the casting sofa. Everybody did it … as a result of every needed one thing from one other,” Werksman mentioned.
Now have a look at him,” Werksman added. “He’s not Brad Pitt or George Clooney. Do you assume these stunning ladies had intercourse with him as a result of he’s sizzling? No. They did it as a result of he was highly effective.”
Werksman additionally famous that every of the ladies got here ahead solely after studies about Weinstein’s conduct helped gasoline the #MeToo motion of girls talking out about sexual harassment and abuse in Hollywood and past.
Thompson mentioned not one of the accusers spoke publicly on the time as a result of they nervous Weinstein “might crush their careers.” He confirmed the jury film posters of “Pulp Fiction,” “Shakespeare in Love” and different Weinstein productions.
“At the moment, this was essentially the most highly effective particular person within the business,” Thompson quoted one of many ladies as saying. One other mentioned: “He was king.”
Weinstein, 70, was convicted of sexual misconduct in New York in February 2020. He was extradited from New York to a Los Angeles jail in July 2021.
In New York, Weinstein is interesting his conviction and 23-year jail sentence. He might withstand 140 years in jail if convicted on all the fees in Los Angeles.