Harvey Weinstein does not plan to testify at sex crimes retrial
The trial will move on to closing arguments on Tuesday without testimony from Weinstein, Arthur Aidala said on Sunday night.
The court handles other cases on Mondays.
It is unclear whether jury deliberations would begin on Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday.
Harvey Weinstein attends his retrial at a Manhattan court (John Angelillo/Pool via AP)
It was a fraught decision for Weinstein, who has never answered questions in open court about any of the accusations women have made. He did not testify at previous trials in New York and California and was convicted in both.
He denies the allegations, and lawyer Mr Aidala has said that Weinstein was giving a lot of thought to whether to take the stand this time.
While his California appeal winds on, Weinstein won a new trial in his New York rape and sexual assault case when the state's highest court overturned his 2020 conviction.
He is charged in New York with raping Jessica Mann in 2013 and forcing oral sex on Miriam Haley and Kaja Sokola, separately, in 2006.
Ms Mann was an actor and hairstylist, Ms Haley a production assistant and producer, and Ms Sokola a model who aspired to an acting career.
All three women have testified for days at the retrial, giving emotional and graphic accounts of what they say they endured from a powerbroker who suggested he would help them achieve their show-business dreams, but then manoeuvred them into private settings and preyed on them.
His lawyers have argued that anything that happened between him and his accusers was consensual.
In the US, defendants in criminal cases are not obligated to testify, and many decide not to, for various reasons.
Among them: the prospect of being questioned by prosecutors.
Weinstein has been watching the New York retrial intently from the defence table, sometimes shaking his head at accusers' testimony and often leaning over to one or another of his lawyers to convey his thoughts.
One of the lawyers, Mr Aidala, said outside court on Thursday that Weinstein thought a lot of holes had been poked in the accusers' accounts, but that he also was pondering whether jurors would feel they needed to hear from him.
The jury has heard from a few other defence witnesses — one of them via a transcript read by court employees.
That witness, Talita Maia, testified at the 2020 trial but was unavailable this time, so jurors instead got a reading Friday of her earlier testimony.
One court stenographer voiced the 2020 lawyers' questions, while another stenographer sat in the witness box and rendered Ms Maia's answers, at times with emphasis.
Ms Maia and Ms Mann were roommates and friends in 2013, but later fell out.
According to Ms Maia, Ms Mann never mentioned in those days that Weinstein had hurt her in any way.
Both Ms Maia and another witness, Thomas Richards, met up with Ms Mann and Weinstein shortly after Ms Mann has said she was raped.
Both witnesses testified that they saw nothing amiss.
Mr Richards, who was subpoenaed to appear and said he did not want to be seen as a Weinstein supporter, recalled Ms Mann and Weinstein having a 'friendly conversation' at a meal he shared with them that day.
Ms Mann testified earlier this month that she never told police or anyone else that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her because she didn't think she'd be believed, and she was scared of how he might react.
Weinstein's defence also brought in Ms Sokola's pal Helga Samuelsen, who also has friendly ties to the former producer.
Ms Samuelsen testified on Thursday that Weinstein visited Ms Sokola once and spent about a half- hour in a bedroom with her in a New York apartment the women briefly shared in 2005; Ms Sokola told jurors no such thing happened.
The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Ms Sokola, Ms Mann and Ms Haley have given their permission to be identified.
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The Herald Scotland
5 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
U-turn as Trump administration agrees to keep Washington police chief in place
The order came after officials in the nation's capital sued on Friday to block President Donald Trump's takeover of the capital's police. Donald Trump (Jae C Hong/AP) The night before, his administration had escalated its intervention into the city's law enforcement by naming a federal official as the new emergency head of the department, essentially placing the police force under full control of the federal government. The attorney general's new order represents a partial retreat for the Trump administration in the face of intense scepticism from a judge over the legality of Ms Bondi's earlier directive, but she also signalled the administration would continue to pressure DC leaders to help federal authorities aggressively pursue immigrants in the country illegally, despite city laws that limit co-operation between police and immigration authorities. In a social media post on Friday evening, Ms Bondi criticised DC attorney general Brian Schwalb, saying he 'continues to oppose our efforts to improve public safety', but she added: 'We remain committed to working closely with Mayor Bowser.' Mayor Muriel Bowser's office said late on Friday that it was still evaluating how it can comply with the new Bondi order on immigration enforcement operations. The police department had already eased some restrictions on co-operating with federal officials facilitating Mr Trump's mass deportation campaign but reaffirmed that it would follow the district's sanctuary city laws. In a letter sent on Friday night to DC citizens, Ms Bowser wrote: 'It has been an unsettling and unprecedented week in our city. Over the course of a week, the surge in federal law enforcement across DC has created waves of anxiety.' Attorney general Pam Bondi (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) She added that 'our limited self-government has never faced the type of test we are facing right now', but added that if Washingtonians stick together, 'we will show the entire nation what it looks like to fight for American democracy – even when we don't have full access to it'. The legal battle was the latest evidence of the escalating tensions in a mostly Democratic city that now has its police department largely under the control of the Republican president's administration. Mr Trump's takeover is historic, yet it had played out with a slow ramp-up in federal law enforcement officials and National Guard troops to start the week. As the weekend approached, signs across the city — from the streets to the legal system — suggested a deepening crisis over who controls the city's immigration and policing policies, the district's right to govern itself and daily life for the millions of people who live and work in the metro area. The two sides sparred in court for hours Friday before US District Judge Ana Reyes, who is overseeing the district's lawsuit. She indicated the law is not likely to grant the Trump administration power to fully take over city police, but it probably gives the president more power than the city might like. 'The way I read the statute, the president can ask, the mayor must provide, but the president can't control,' said Judge Reyes, who was nominated to the bench by Joe Biden. The judge pushed the two sides to make a compromise. A lawyer for the Trump administration, Yaakov Roth, said the move to sideline Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith came after an immigration order that still held back some aid to federal authorities. He argued that the president has broad authority to determine what kind of help police in Washington must provide. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) The police takeover is the latest move by Trump to test the limits of his legal authorities to carry out his agenda, relying on obscure statutes and a supposed state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime message and his plans to speed up the mass deportation of people in the United States illegally. It also marks one of the most sweeping assertions of federal authority over a local government in modern times. While Washington has grappled with spikes in violence and visible homelessness, the city's homicide rate ranks below those of several other major US cities, and the capital is not in the throes of the public safety collapse the Trump administration has portrayed. The president has more power over the nation's capital than other cities, but DC has elected its own mayor and city council since the Home Rule Act was signed in 1973. Mr Trump is the first president to exert control over the city's police force since it was passed. The law limits that control to 30 days without congressional approval, though Mr Trump has suggested he would seek to extend it. Ms Bondi's Thursday night directive to place the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Terry Cole, in charge of the police department came after Ms Smith had told officers to share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody, such as someone involved in a traffic stop. The Justice Department said Ms Bondi disagreed with the police chief's instructions because they allowed for continued practice of 'sanctuary policies', which generally limit co-operation by local law enforcement with federal immigration officers.
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
U-turn as Trump administration agrees to keep Washington police chief in place
Meanwhile, attorney general Pam Bondi, in a new memo, directed the district's police to co-operate with federal immigration enforcement regardless of any city law. The order came after officials in the nation's capital sued on Friday to block President Donald Trump's takeover of the capital's police. Donald Trump (Jae C Hong/AP) The night before, his administration had escalated its intervention into the city's law enforcement by naming a federal official as the new emergency head of the department, essentially placing the police force under full control of the federal government. The attorney general's new order represents a partial retreat for the Trump administration in the face of intense scepticism from a judge over the legality of Ms Bondi's earlier directive, but she also signalled the administration would continue to pressure DC leaders to help federal authorities aggressively pursue immigrants in the country illegally, despite city laws that limit co-operation between police and immigration authorities. In a social media post on Friday evening, Ms Bondi criticised DC attorney general Brian Schwalb, saying he 'continues to oppose our efforts to improve public safety', but she added: 'We remain committed to working closely with Mayor Bowser.' Mayor Muriel Bowser's office said late on Friday that it was still evaluating how it can comply with the new Bondi order on immigration enforcement operations. The police department had already eased some restrictions on co-operating with federal officials facilitating Mr Trump's mass deportation campaign but reaffirmed that it would follow the district's sanctuary city laws. In a letter sent on Friday night to DC citizens, Ms Bowser wrote: 'It has been an unsettling and unprecedented week in our city. Over the course of a week, the surge in federal law enforcement across DC has created waves of anxiety.' Attorney general Pam Bondi (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) She added that 'our limited self-government has never faced the type of test we are facing right now', but added that if Washingtonians stick together, 'we will show the entire nation what it looks like to fight for American democracy – even when we don't have full access to it'. The legal battle was the latest evidence of the escalating tensions in a mostly Democratic city that now has its police department largely under the control of the Republican president's administration. Mr Trump's takeover is historic, yet it had played out with a slow ramp-up in federal law enforcement officials and National Guard troops to start the week. As the weekend approached, signs across the city — from the streets to the legal system — suggested a deepening crisis over who controls the city's immigration and policing policies, the district's right to govern itself and daily life for the millions of people who live and work in the metro area. The two sides sparred in court for hours Friday before US District Judge Ana Reyes, who is overseeing the district's lawsuit. She indicated the law is not likely to grant the Trump administration power to fully take over city police, but it probably gives the president more power than the city might like. 'The way I read the statute, the president can ask, the mayor must provide, but the president can't control,' said Judge Reyes, who was nominated to the bench by Joe Biden. The judge pushed the two sides to make a compromise. A lawyer for the Trump administration, Yaakov Roth, said the move to sideline Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith came after an immigration order that still held back some aid to federal authorities. He argued that the president has broad authority to determine what kind of help police in Washington must provide. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP) The police takeover is the latest move by Trump to test the limits of his legal authorities to carry out his agenda, relying on obscure statutes and a supposed state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime message and his plans to speed up the mass deportation of people in the United States illegally. It also marks one of the most sweeping assertions of federal authority over a local government in modern times. While Washington has grappled with spikes in violence and visible homelessness, the city's homicide rate ranks below those of several other major US cities, and the capital is not in the throes of the public safety collapse the Trump administration has portrayed. The president has more power over the nation's capital than other cities, but DC has elected its own mayor and city council since the Home Rule Act was signed in 1973. Mr Trump is the first president to exert control over the city's police force since it was passed. The law limits that control to 30 days without congressional approval, though Mr Trump has suggested he would seek to extend it. Ms Bondi's Thursday night directive to place the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Terry Cole, in charge of the police department came after Ms Smith had told officers to share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody, such as someone involved in a traffic stop. The Justice Department said Ms Bondi disagreed with the police chief's instructions because they allowed for continued practice of 'sanctuary policies', which generally limit co-operation by local law enforcement with federal immigration officers.
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Serbia's police detain hundreds during violent anti-government protests
The arrests came amid reports of police brutality and excessive use of force during the unrest. The three days of clashes between the police and loyalists of autocratic president Aleksandar Vucic on one side and the anti-government protesters on the other left dozens injured or detained. Serbian gendarmerie officers guard the street during an anti-government protest near the Serbian Progressive Party office in Belgrade, Serbia (Darko Vojinovic/AP) The unrest in the capital, Belgrade, and throughout Serbia this week marked a serious escalation of more than nine months of largely peaceful demonstrations led by Serbia's university students that have shaken Mr Vucic's firm grip on power in the Balkan country. Another protest, under the slogan 'Let's show them we are not a punching bag', was held on Friday night throughout Serbia. Police deployed armoured vehicles in parts of the capital as protesters faced off against riot police separating them from Mr Vucic's supporters in downtown Belgrade. The protests that have rattled Mr Vucic first started in November after a renovated train station canopy collapsed in Serbia's north, killing 16 people. Many in Serbia blame the tragedy on alleged corruption-fuelled negligence in state infrastructure projects. Mr Vucic praised the police for their conduct during the latest demonstrations, saying he will propose additional bonuses for the officers. Speaking with state TV broadcaster RTS, he repeated his claim that the protests were inspired by the West with the intention of toppling him from power. He has not provided any evidence for the claim. Several social media posts from this week show baton-wielding riot police beating people to the ground and then kicking them with their boots before they were handcuffed. Supporters of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hurl flares at anti-government protesters during an anti-government protest (Darko Vojinovic/AP) The apparent targets were often women and young people. Serbia's interior minister Ivica Dacic denied on Friday that police used excessive force, blaming the demonstrators for allegedly attacking the officers, who were protecting themselves with riot shields. 'The police were massively and brutally attacked without any provocation. There were violent attempts to breach the cordons,' Mr Dacic said. 'Last night, 75 police officers were injured, and several vehicles were damaged. Those who spread lies about police brutality should comment on this fact.' Opposition leaders called for Mr Dacic to be removed from office. 'They are beating up people on the streets,' said opposition leader Dragan Djilas. 'They also beat up politicians, literally anyone who opposes Aleksandar Vucic, with the clear goal of inflicting serious bodily harm on them.' Another social media video purported to show several young detainees kneeling with their faces to the wall as police officers stood to attention behind them. Some of the apparent detainees had bloodstains on their backs. The EU's commissioner for enlargement Marta Kos earlier this week said the reports of violence at the protests were 'deeply concerning'. Serbia is formally seeking EU membership, but Mr Vucic has maintained strong ties with Russia and China. The Serbian president has faced accusations of stifling democratic freedoms while allowing organised crime and corruption to flourish, which he has denied.
