Latest news with #ClerksII
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Harvey Weinstein accuser breaks down in court during intense cross-examination
Tensions reached a boiling point during Harvey Weinstein 's ongoing sexual assault trial in New York City, as former TV production assistant Miriam Haley gave a tearful and emotional testimony, calling the former filmmaker a "f---ing asshole" during cross-examination. According to Variety, the heated exchange took place on Friday morning, as Weinstein's defence attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, pressed Haley on her decision to accept an invitation to meet the ex-producer at his SoHo apartment on July 10, 2006. Bonjean's line of questioning centred on Haley's prior encounter with Weinstein, when he had unexpectedly arrived at her East Village home after she declined his invitation to attend Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, a visit she later described as "bizarre." Haley explained that she felt as though she might have "offended" Weinstein by turning down the fashion week offer, as per Variety. When Weinstein later invited her to Los Angeles for the premiere of Clerks II, she said she felt obligated to at least "say hi" to him at his apartment. "I felt it would've been weird not to go," she told the court, as quoted by Variety. Bonjean, attempting to discredit Haley's motives, asked, "You accepted a benefit, right?" referring to the flight and event invitation from Weinstein. Haley responded simply, "An invitation, yeah." The questioning then turned to the details of what Haley was wearing during the meeting at Weinstein's apartment. Despite Bonjean's persistent queries, Haley said she could not recall specifics about her outfit. Bonjean pressed further, asking, "Is it possible you were wearing jeans?" Haley replied that she did not remember Weinstein removing her jeans. However, the situation turned grimly when Bonjean asked, "What do you remember him ripping off?" Haley's answer was unequivocal: "My tampon," as quoted by Variety. The courtroom grew tense as Haley's emotional response intensified. When questioned again about the specifics of the assault, Haley maintained that she did not remove her own clothes during the encounter. Bonjean implied that it was up to the jury to determine the truth of this claim. At that point, Haley broke down in tears, her voice rising in frustration. "It's my experience!" Haley exclaimed as she turned her gaze toward Weinstein, seated in the courtroom. "F--ing asshole," she said, as quoted by Variety. Weinstein, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, faces a first-degree criminal sexual act charge related to the July 2006 incident with Haley. In addition to this charge, Weinstein is also facing charges of first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape in connection with other alleged incidents. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Chicago Tribune
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘The unthinkable was happening;' Weinstein accuser details alleged 2006 sex assault
NEW YORK — Five years after she first told her story to a jury, one of Harvey Weinstein 's accusers testified anew Wednesday that he held her down on a bed and forced oral sex on her after she told him: 'No, no — it's not going to happen.' 'The unthinkable was happening,' Miriam Haley testified, dabbing her eyes as she recalled the alleged July 2006 assault. Weinstein, sitting between his lawyers, shook his head as she spoke. The 73-year-old former Hollywood honcho has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting anyone. Haley, who has also gone by the name Mimi Haleyi, is the first of Weinstein's accusers to testify at his rape retrial. It's happening because New York's highest court overturned his 2020 conviction. Haley testified at the original trial, sometimes breaking into sobs. Her demeanor Wednesday was calm, if briefly tearful, as she answered prosecutors' graphic questions about the alleged assault. While much of her account mirrored her earlier testimony, there were some additional details. She recalled Weinstein asking, 'Don't you think we're much closer now?' after either the alleged assault or a subsequent occasion when she says she had unwanted, but not forced, sex with him. She also recalled telling him after the second encounter, 'You know you can't keep doing this.' Weinstein's attorneys haven't yet had their chance to question Haley and potentially try to poke holes in her account. The defense has argued that all of Weinstein's accusers consented to sexual encounters with him in hopes of getting work in show business. Haley describes alleged assault Born in Finland and raised in Sweden, Haley, 48, is a former entertainment producer now working in advertising. She met Weinstein through a mutual connection. Haley was briefly a production assistant on the Weinstein-produced reality show 'Project Runway' and had a series of interactions with him that were sometimes inappropriate and suggestive, but other times professional and polite, she told jurors over two days of testimony so far. She insisted she was only looking for professional opportunity — not sex or romance — with the then-powerful producer of such Oscar winners as 'Shakespeare in Love' and 'Gangs of New York.' Haley said she accepted an invitation to visit Weinstein's Manhattan apartment one early evening because it would have been odd to decline — she was due to fly on his company's dime to Los Angeles the next day to see a premiere of the company's film 'Clerks II.' After she and Weinstein briefly chatted on his living room sofa, he lunged to kiss her, she testified. She said she leaped up and rebuffed him, but he grabbed her and forcibly backed her into a bedroom. Then, Haley said, he pinned her down on a bed and performed oral sex on her, ignoring her pleas that she didn't want it. Afterward, she felt shocked, disgusted and humiliated. She and two of her friends testified that she soon told them that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her. But Haley said she didn't call police because she feared getting in immigration trouble for having worked on 'Project Runway' while on a tourist visa. Haley said she agreed to meet Weinstein at a Manhattan hotel a few weeks after the alleged assault, expecting to talk in the lobby and hoping 'to navigate the whole situation in a way that would make me feel better about myself and would have the most upside to me.' She was directed instead to his room, where he promptly steered her onto the bed, she testified. She said she didn't want sex but didn't physically resist because she felt stupid for agreeing to meet him. Still, 'I made it clear at all occasions when he made advances that I didn't want to go there,' she said. Haley stayed in contact with Weinstein Haley didn't cut off contact with Weinstein. Over the next few months and years, she sometimes called Weinstein and sent cordial emails to him and his assistant, from whom she also asked for a plane ticket to London, according to testimony and documents. In the messages, she talked show business, asked for work and signed off with such phrases as 'lots of love,' an expression she told jurors she used liberally. In a February 2007 letter that wasn't seen at the first trial, she told Weinstein she'd 'love you forever… and ever…' if he invested in an online TV show idea of hers. Haley testified that she addressed Weinstein warmly to try to win his professional backing, nothing else, and that she 'suppressed a lot of things' in order to cope. At the first trial, Weinstein's lawyers emphasized Haley's continued exchanges with him. This time, prosecutors delved into those contacts more extensively, perhaps seeking to blunt them as an attack line for the defense. Weinstein's retrial includes charges related to Haley and another accuser from the original trial, Jessica Mann. Mann alleges that Weinstein raped her in 2013. He's also being tried, for the first time, on an allegation of forcing oral sex on former model Kaja Sokola in 2006. Mann and Sokola also are expected to testify.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein's Accuser Gets Emotional As She Takes The Stand Again After 5 Years
Harvey Weinstein's accuser, Miriam Haley, faces her fears once again. The alleged sexual assault survivor is back on the stand to detail her painful experience at the hands of the producer as his retrial commences. Harvey Weinstein was hit with multiple sexual assault allegations in 2017 from various women who claimed he abused, raped and sexually harassed them. Haley became visibly emotional during her second testimony regarding the incident in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in his Manhattan apartment. She went into detail about the alleged rape incident from 2006, describing how Weinstein had invited her to his Manhattan apartment. Haley claimed it happened after he provided her with a ticket to the premiere of "Clerks II" in Los Angeles, an invitation she accepted. She recalls sitting with the producer on a sofa when he suddenly charged at her and attempted to kiss her. Haley added that he eventually pinned her down and forced her to a bed, where he then raped her. Haley allegedly informed Weinstein she was on her period and had a tampon in, but it did little to deter him from pulling out the tampon and proceeding with the rape. According to TMZ, the accuser noted that she was aware of what was happening and how bad it was, but "just decided to check out and endure it." Haley testified that she first met Harvey Weinstein at the 2004 premiere of "The Aviator" in London, where he helped her secure a position as a production assistant on "Project Runway." She mentioned that their relationship did not turn sexual until the alleged rape in July 2006. Haley is one of three women testifying against Weinstein in his New York retrial, and her testimony aligns with her previous account from his original trial five years prior. In 2020, Weinstein was convicted of sexually abusing the former production assistant and actress Jessica Mann. However, those convictions were later overturned after an appeals court ruled that his constitutional rights had been violated during the trial. Now, prosecutors are pursuing another case against him while he maintains his not-guilty plea. On April 18, The Blast shared that a judge approved Weinstein's request to be transferred from Rikers Island to Bellevue Hospital ahead of his retrial hearing. The former film producer sought this move due to concerns over poor living conditions and the mishandling of his health issues while in prison. His attorney, Imran Ansari, along with prison consultant Craig Rothfeld, successfully argued for the transfer, which was granted on April 17. Weinstein was billed to remain at Bellevue until his hearing, scheduled for April 24 at 2:15 PM ET. This retrial comes after his 2020 rape conviction in New York was overturned following a successful appeal. The allegations against Weinstein sparked larger agitations toward justice for victims of sexual abuse in the film industry and workplaces. It ignited the #MeToo Movement and what has been termed the "Weinstein effect," as numerous other influential men faced accusations of similar misconduct. Weinstein also requested $5 million in damages from the Bellevue Medical Center. Despite having a history of treatment at Bellevue over the past year, he included them as part of his claim. The filmmaker criticized the hospital for discharging him back to prison before he fully recovered. Weinstein's legal team argued that his experience in prison has caused him both physical and psychological harm. His lawyers also attributed his suffering to the poor living conditions at Rikers Island. The petition's implications extend to the City of New York and its agencies, as Weinstein argued for compensation due to what he describes as "horrific" treatment. Weinstein's lawyers argued for his transfer to a medical center, claiming Rikers could not meet his healthcare needs and had mismanaged his deteriorating health. Weinstein's legal representatives further raised significant concerns about the medical care he is receiving at Rikers Island, alleging that the medical staff has misdiagnosed at least one condition. Attorney Ansari emphasized that the mismanagement of Weinstein's health issues could potentially lead to dire consequences for the film producer. Weinstein's medical challenges include a range of severe conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and extensive coronary artery disease, alongside chest pain attributed to reduced blood flow to the heart. Additionally, he also suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid problems, obesity, chronic pain in his lower back and legs, anemia, hypertension, and more. Ansari continued that his client endured "freezing" conditions without clean clothes, worsening his health. The legal rep criticized NYC officials for their role in his client's suffering and mentioned his efforts to transfer Weinstein from Rikers to Bellevue Hospital, which were ignored. He emphasized that this transfer was vital to prevent Weinstein's premature death. Which way will the trial swing this time for Harvey Weinstein?
San Francisco Chronicle
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
'The unthinkable was happening,' Weinstein accuser says of alleged 2006 sex assault
NEW YORK (AP) — Five years after she first told her story to a jury, a former TV production assistant testified anew Wednesday that Harvey Weinstein held her down on a bed and forced oral sex on her after she told him: 'No, no — it's not going to happen.' 'The unthinkable was happening," Miriam Haley testified, dabbing her eyes as she recalled the alleged July 2006 assault. Weinstein, sitting between his lawyers, shook his head as she spoke. The 73-year-old former Hollywood honcho has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting anyone. Haley, who has also gone by the name Mimi Haleyi, is the first of Weinstein's accusers to testify at his rape retrial. It's happening because New York's highest court overturned his 2020 conviction. Haley, now 48 and working in advertising, testified at the original trial, sometimes breaking into sobs. Her demeanor Wednesday was calm and matter-of-fact, if briefly tearful, as she answered prosecutors' graphic questions about the alleged assault. While much of her account mirrored her earlier testimony, there were some additional details. She recalled Weinstein asking, "Don't you think we're much closer now?' after either the alleged assault or a subsequent occasion when she says she had unwanted, but not forced, sex with him. She also recalled telling him after the second encounter, 'You know you can't keep doing this.' Weinstein's attorneys haven't yet had their chance to question Haley and potentially try to poke holes in her account. The defense has argued that all of Weinstein's accusers consented to sexual encounters with him in hopes of getting work in show business. Haley describes alleged assault Haley got to know Weinstein through a mutual connection. She worked in June 2006 on the Weinstein-produced reality show 'Project Runway' and had a series of interactions with him that were sometimes inappropriate and suggestive, but other times professional and polite, she told jurors over two days of testimony so far. She insisted she was only looking for professional opportunity — not sex or romance — with the then-powerful producer of such Oscar winners as 'Shakespeare in Love' and 'Gangs of New York.' Haley said she accepted an invitation to visit Weinstein's Manhattan apartment one early evening because she felt it would have been odd to decline — she was due to fly on his company's dime to Los Angeles the next day to see a premiere of the company's film 'Clerks II." After she and Weinstein briefly chatted on his living room sofa, he lunged to kiss her, she testified. She said she leaped up and rejected him, but he grabbed her and forcibly backed her into a bedroom. Then, Haley said, he pinned her down on a bed and performed oral sex on her, ignoring her pleas that she didn't want it. Afterward, she felt shocked, disgusted and humiliated. She and two of her friends testified that she soon told them that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her. But Haley, who was born in Finland and raised in Sweden, said she didn't call police because she feared getting in immigration trouble for having worked on 'Project Runway' while on a tourist visa. Haley said she agreed to meet Weinstein at a Manhattan hotel a few weeks after the alleged assault, expecting they'd talk in the lobby and hoping 'to navigate the whole situation in a way that would make me feel better about myself and would have the most upside to me.' When she was told instead to go to his room, she did, and let him steer her onto the bed. She said she didn't want sex but didn't physically resist because she felt stupid for agreeing to meet him. Still, 'I made it clear at all occasions when he made advances that I didn't want to go there,' she said. Haley stayed in contact with Weinstein Haley didn't cut off contact with Weinstein, however. She asked his assistant for a plane ticket to London later that summer. Over the next few months and years, she sometimes called Weinstein and sent cordial emails to him and his assistant, according to documents shown to jurors. At one point, she pitched Weinstein on an idea for a TV show. In other messages, she talked show business, asked for work and signed off with such sentiments as 'lots of love.' Haley said she used the phrase with many people. She testified that she stayed in touch because she needed work and wanted to derive some professional benefit from knowing Weinstein. At the first trial, defense lawyers emphasized Haley's continued exchanges with the man she accused of sexually assaulting her. This time, prosecutors delved into those contacts more extensively, perhaps to address them during a friendlier phase of questioning. Weinstein's retrial includes charges based on allegations from Haley and another accuser from the original trial, Jessica Mann, who was once an aspiring actor. She alleges that Weinstein raped her in 2013. He's also being tried, for the first time, on an allegation of forcing oral sex on former model Kaja Sokola in 2006. Her claim wasn't part of the first trial. Mann and Sokola also are expected to testify at some point.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Weinstein accuser Miriam Haley testifies about alleged 2006 sexual assault
April 30 (UPI) -- In tearful testimony Wednesday, Harvey Weinstein accuser Miriam Haley described what she said was a 2006 sexual assault at his SoHo apartment in New York City. Haley was a TV production assistant working for Weinstein's company when he invited to the "Clerks II" premiere in Los Angeles, she said. Weinstein asked her to stop by his apartment in New York just after inviting her to the premiere. She alleged from the witness stand that, while seated on a sofa, Weinstein suddenly lunged at her trying to kiss her and "smothering me with advances." She testified, "I realized that I'm getting raped." She said after he pushed her into a bedroom and onto a bed that he would get more violent as he kept pushing her back down when she tried to get up. "I decided the smartest thing to do -- safest, rather -- is to check out, endure it and have it over with and leave," she testified. She testified she told Weinstein she was on her period and wearing a tampon, but he "yanked it out" and forcibly put his mouth on her vagina, according to Haley. Weinstein was convicted of sexual crimes in 2020, but New York's highest court overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty at the New York re-trial. He is charged with a first degree sexual act against Haley. He also was convicted and sentenced to more than 16 years in prison on three counts of rape and sexual assault in California. Weinstein defense attorney Arthur Aidala characterized Weinstein's relationship with his accusers, including Haley, as a "friends with benefits" situation. Haley's testimony is expected to take days, including cross-examination from Weinstein's defense team.
