Harvey Weinstein Accuser Miriam Haley Recounts 2006 Assault in Rape Retrial
Former television production assistant Miriam Haley took the stand Wednesday morning at Harvey Weinstein's rape retrial in New York to recount how the disgraced Hollywood producer allegedly assaulted her in 2006.
The retrial began April 23, a year after Weinstein's original 2020 rape conviction was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals due to improper testimony and rulings. Weinstein, now 73, is being retried on a criminal sex act charge for forcing oral sex on Haley and for third-degree rape against Jessica Mann, an actress who maintains Weinstein raped her at a hotel in 2013.
Both Haley and Mann were involved in Weinstein's original trial, and Mann is also expected to provide testimony against him in his current retrial. Kaja Sokola, a Polish model who claims that Weinstein held her down when she was 16 years old and forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006, is also expected to take the stand. Sokola's accusation was not a part of Weinstein's 2020 trial. The former Hollywood mogul is, consequently, facing an additional criminal sex act charge this time.
Haley claimed Tuesday to have met Weinstein at a London film premiere in 2004. She crossed paths with him again at the Cannes Film Festival and inquired if he knew of any production assistant openings in New York. While still in France, he invited Haley to a hotel for what she thought was going to be a business meeting.
Instead, Haley was met with comments about her appearance and a request for a massage. Afterward, Haley told those in attendance at the retrial's Manhattan courthouse, 'I felt taken aback. I felt humiliated.'
Weinstein did eventually help Haley land a production assistant position in 2006 on the reality show 'Project Runway,' which The Weinstein Company produced at the time. That year, Haley alleged Weinstein continued to make advances toward her, which she rebuffed. When Weinstein invited her to a film premiere in Los Angeles, Haley said she accepted his invitation.
After she agreed to attend the premiere, the producer asked her to meet him at his Soho apartment. Haley said Wednesday that Weinstein lunged at her after getting her alone, holding her down and forcing her onto a bed. 'He was grabbing me and touching me,' Haley recounted. 'I realized that I'm getting raped.'
Haley said she remembered telling Weinstein in the moment that she was on her period, but that did not stop him from continuing his assault. 'He took out my tampon and orally forced himself on me,' the former PA said.
'I decided in that moment that the safest thing to do is just to check out, endure it and have it over with and leave,' Haley continued.
Last week, Haley's friend and former roommate, Elizabeth Entin, told the jury of seven women and five men about the moment Haley shared her experience with Weinstein with her. 'I said, 'Miriam, that sounds like rape,'' Entin recounted.
Weinstein, who now sits in a wheelchair due to his declining health, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and has denied sexually assaulting anyone. His lawyers have further argued that the sexual encounters Weinstein had with his accusers were all consensual and part of mutually beneficial agreements he made with them as a powerful Hollywood figure and producer.
While Weinstein's 23-year New York prison sentence was overturned last year, the 16-year sentence he received in 2022 from his rape conviction in Los Angeles still stands. Weinstein is currently appealing that conviction, but it is in effect for the time being. As a result, New York authorities have been able to keep him in state custody throughout the past year.
Weinstein's legal team has so far called for a mistrial three times during the New York retrial. All three motions have been denied by Judge Curtis Farber.
Weinstein attorney Arthur Aidala's latest mistrial attempt came Wednesday after Haley testified that she kept quiet about Weinstein's assault and stayed in contact with the producer afterward because she did not know that there were other women who had also been assaulted by him.
In response, Aidala motioned for that remark to be stricken from the court record and called for a mistrial, claiming that Haley's statement had contaminated the jury. Judge Farber had the statement stricken but denied Aidala's mistrial motion.
Weinstein's retrial is currently expected to last several weeks, if not longer.
The post Harvey Weinstein Accuser Miriam Haley Recounts 2006 Assault in Rape Retrial appeared first on TheWrap.
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