Latest news with #MiriamHaley
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Harvey Weinstein's sex crimes retrial continues with closing arguments
Harvey Weinstein's sex crimes retrial in New York City will likely be handed to the jury on Wednesday morning, Judge Curtis Farber said Tuesday, shortly before closing arguments began. Weinstein, 73, was granted a new trial after the state's highest court overturned his 2020 conviction, saying the original judge allowed prejudicial testimony from alleged victims whose accusations were not part of the charges against him. The defense rested its case Tuesday without Weinstein taking the stand. His attorney, Arthur Aidala, said his client carefully weighed whether to testify and ultimately decided not to. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. Defense goes first during closing arguments After settling some administrative matters, Farber ordered the jury brought in around 11 a.m. He said closing arguments would likely take until the end of the day. Aidala asked jurors to use their common sense, as he broke down testimony from each of the three female accusers and pointed out instances where he claims they lied. He argued there was never any evidence of sexual assault and that anything that happened between his client and the accusers was consensual. The charges against Harvey Weinstein Weinstein is charged with raping actress Jessica Mann and forcing oral sex on production assistant Miriam Haley and model Kaja Sokola. During the six-week retrial, jurors heard testimony from all three accusers. Each gave emotional and graphic accounts of what they say they endured. Mann, now a 39-year-old cosmetologist and hairstylist who at one time had a consensual relationship with Weinstein, was the final accuser to testify. She claims Weinstein raped her at a New York hotel in 2013. Haley, a 48-year-old former production assistant, was the first accuser to testify. She says Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her when she went to his apartment in July 2006. Sokola, 39, alleges Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her at a Manhattan hotel in 2006 when she was 19 years old. Jurors also heard from Sokola's former roommate. An ex-aide who worked for Weinstein's production company also testified.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Harvey Weinstein doesn't plan to testify at New York sex crimes retrial
Harvey Weinstein doesn't plan to testify at his New York sex crimes retrial in a move that means jurors soon will get the case against the former movie studio boss who propelled the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct. The trial will move on to closing arguments on Tuesday without testimony from Weinstein, his lawyer Arthur Aidala said Sunday night. It's unclear whether jury deliberations would begin Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. It was a fraught decision for Weinstein, who has never answered questions in open court about any of the accusations women have made. He didn't testify at previous trials in New York and California and was convicted in both. He denies the allegations, and 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's charged in New York with raping Jessica Mann in 2013 and forcing oral sex on Miriam Haley and Kaja Sokola, separately, in 2006. Mann was an actor and hairstylist, Haley a production assistant and producer, and 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'd help them achieve their show-business dreams, but then maneuvered them into private settings and preyed on them. His attorneys have argued that anything that happened between him and his accusers was consensual. In the US, defendants in criminal cases aren't 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 defense table, sometimes shaking his head at accusers' testimony and often leaning over to one or another of his attorneys to convey his thoughts. One of the lawyers, Aidala, said outside court 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 defense 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 attorneys' questions, while another stenographer sat in the witness box and rendered Maia's answers, at times with emphasis. Maia and Mann were roommates and friends in 2013 but later fell out. According to Maia, Mann never mentioned in those days that Weinstein had hurt her in any way. Both Maia and another witness, Thomas Richards, met up with Mann and Weinstein shortly after Mann has said she was raped. Both witnesses testified that they saw nothing amiss. Richards, who was subpoenaed to appear and said he didn't want to be seen as a Weinstein supporter, recalled Mann and Weinstein having 'friendly conversation' at a meal he shared with them that day. 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 at how he might react. Weinstein's defense also brought in Helga Samuelsen, who also has friendly ties to the former producer. Samuelsen testified Thursday that Weinstein visited Sokola once and spent about a half hour in a bedroom with her in a New York apartment the women briefly shared in 2005; Sokola told jurors no such thing happened.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Harvey Weinstein doesn't plan to testify at sex crimes retrial
Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan for his retrial on Friday, May 30, 2025 in New York. (Jefferson Siegel/The New York Times via AP, Pool) NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein doesn't plan to testify at his New York sex crimes retrial, his lawyer said Sunday. That means jurors soon will get the case against the former movie studio boss who propelled the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct. The trial will move on to closing arguments Tuesday without testimony from Weinstein, Arthur Aidala said Sunday night. The court handles other cases on Mondays. It's unclear whether jury deliberations would begin Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. It was a fraught decision for Weinstein, who didn't testify at previous trials in New York and California and was convicted in both. He denies the allegations, and Aidala has said that Weinstein was carefully weighing 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's charged in New York with raping Jessica Mann in 2013 and forcing oral sex on Miriam Haley and Kaja Sokola, separately, in 2006. Mann was an actor and hairstylist, Haley a production assistant and producer, and Sokola a model who aspired to an acting career. All three women testified for days at the retrial, giving emotional and graphic accounts of what they say they endured. They said Weinstein suggested he'd help them achieve their show-business dreams, but then maneuvered them into private settings and preyed on them. His attorneys have argued that anything that happened between him and his accusers was consensual. In the U.S., defendants in criminal cases aren't 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 defense table, sometimes shaking his head at accusers' testimony and often leaning over to one or another of his attorneys to convey his thoughts. Aidala said outside court 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 defense 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 attorneys' questions, while another stenographer sat in the witness box and rendered Maia's answers, at times with emphasis. Maia and Mann were roommates and friends in 2013 but later fell out. According to Maia, Mann never mentioned in those days that Weinstein had hurt her in any way. Both Maia and another witness, Thomas Richards, met up with Mann and Weinstein shortly after Mann has said she was raped. Both witnesses testified that they saw nothing amiss. Mann testified earlier this month that she never anyone at the time that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her because she didn't think she'd be believed, and she was scared about how he might react. Weinstein's defense also brought in former Sokola pal Helga Samuelsen, who has friendly ties to the former producer. Samuelsen testified Thursday that Weinstein visited Sokola once and spent about a half-hour in a bedroom with her in a New York apartment the women briefly shared in 2005; Sokola told jurors no such thing happened. The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Sokola, Mann and Haley have given their permission to be identified. Jennifer Peltz, The Associated Press
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Harvey Weinstein not expected to take the stand at retrial, attorney says
Harvey Weinstein is not planning to take the stand during his retrial in New York City, his attorney says. Attorney Arthur Aidala confirmed the decision to CBS News New York's Alice Gainer on Sunday. Jurors are expected to hear closing arguments on Tuesday before they begin their deliberations. The retrial started on April 23 and involves rape and sexual assault accusations from three women. Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty. Who has testified so far in Weinstein's sexual assault retrial? Miriam Haley, a 48-year-old former production assistant, was the first accuser to take the stand at the retrial. She testified Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her when she went to his apartment in July 2006. Former model Kaja Sokola, 39, was the second accuser to testify, alleging Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her at a Manhattan hotel in 2006 when she was 19 years old. Jurors also heard from Sokola's former roommate. Jessica Mann, a 39-year-old cosmetologist and hairstylist who at one time had a consensual relationship with Weinstein, was the final accuser to testify. She claims Weinstein raped her at a New York hotel in 2013. An ex-aide who worked for Weinstein's production company also testified. Why is Weinstein's case being retried? Weinstein was originally convicted on rape charges in 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in prison. He was found guilty of raping Mann in 2013 and of committing a criminal sex act by forcing oral sex on Haley in 2006. Last year, however, New York's highest court overturned the conviction, saying the original trial judge allowed prejudicial testimony. That judge allowed prosecutors to call alleged victims whose accusations were not part of the charges against Weinstein, which the court said resulted in Weinstein being judged "on irrelevant, prejudicial, and untested allegations of prior bad acts." The original judge's term expired in 2022, and he is no longer on the bench. Who is the new accuser in Weinstein's retrial? Haley and Mann's accusations were at the center of Weinstein's original trial, but Weinstein is facing a new criminal sex act charge in connection to allegations by Sokola. Sokola said she did not go to the authorities to make formal accusations against Weinstein until he was on trial in 2020. The investigation into her claims was halted when Weinstein was convicted, but it was renewed after that verdict was reversed. She was eventually awarded $3.5 million in civil proceedings. Sokola also claims Weinstein sexually assaulted her when she was 16 years old, but because she says the alleged act happened in 2002, it is beyond the legal time limit for potential charges.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein does not plan to testify at sex crimes retrial
Harvey Weinstein does not plan to testify at his New York sex crimes retrial, his lawyer said on Sunday. That means jurors soon will get the case against the former movie studio boss who propelled the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct. 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. 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.
