THE ANGELS –
Prosecutors in Los Angeles rested their case Thursday in the trial of Harvey Weinstein, who they allege raped two women and sexually assaulted two others.
The move by Assistant District Attorney Paul Thompson came after nearly four weeks of testimony from 44 witnesses.
Weinstein is accused of crimes against four of them: one a model, another model and actor, a third a masseur.
The fourth, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentarian who was an actress at the time of her alleged rape and is now married to California Governor Gavin Newsom, provided the most dramatic moments of the trial thus far with her emotional testimony.
Four other women who are not involved in the charges testified that Weinstein sexually assaulted them, as prosecutors tried to show that he had a propensity for such acts.
Superior Court Judge Lisa Lench denied a motion by Weinstein’s lawyers to dismiss all charges against Weinstein, which they said prosecutors were unable to prove.
“We’re getting close to the end of this case if you’re not already aware of that fact,” Lench told jurors, who will have Thanksgiving week off and return for witness testimony from the defense on November 28.
He warned them not to consume any media related to the trial that points to “any movie trailers that may be related to this case or movies that may be related to this case, well, not related to this case, but related to this issue.”
Without saying the name of the film, he was clearly referring to Friday’s release of “She Said,” a film about the New York Times report on the 2017 stories that put Weinstein at the center of the .MeToo movement.
With the jury cleared, Weinstein’s attorney entered a new not guilty plea for him to an amended indictment that drops four of the 11 prior charges against him. The move was made necessary when prosecutors said earlier this week that the accuser known in court as Jane Doe .5 would not appear to testify and that the charges would no longer be pursued. They would not give a reason when asked.
Weinstein’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, said in response to the dropped charges that “this witness might have felt uncomfortable being examined knowing the truth of the matter.”
Prosecutors also did not explain why Mel Gibson was missing. The actor, director and one of the most anticipated witnesses of the trial were never called to the stand. The judge had ruled at the start of the trial that Gibson could testify about a conversation he had with the masseur Weinstein accuses of sexual assault.
Asking to have them dismissed, Weinstein’s attorney, Alan Jackson, discussed the remaining seven charges against his client and provided a likely preview of the defense’s closing arguments.
Jackson said allegations that Weinstein raped and sexually assaulted an Italian model known at trial as Jane Doe 1 in 2013 were especially unfounded, arguing there was no convincing evidence that “the interlude occurred at all.”
Jackson said there was no evidence that there was “any restraint,” as required for a sexual assault charge, in the part of the case involving model Lauren Young.
Young, the only Weinstein accuser to testify at his trials in both New York and Los Angeles, said she was paralyzed with fear when Weinstein prevented her from leaving the bathroom, masturbated in front of her and groped her breasts at a hotel in New York. 2013.
Jackson said there was ample evidence, including emails the two exchanged in subsequent years, that Siebel Newsom and Weinstein had a consensual sexual encounter that she later reframed as rape.
“Defendant’s motion is denied,” Lench responded. “I think there is enough evidence to send all of these charges to the jury, and I will.”
Weinstein is two years into a 23-year sentence for his conviction in New York, and has been held in a Los Angeles jail throughout the trial.
The Associated Press generally does not publish the names of people alleging sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Young and Siebel Newsom have done through their attorneys.
Resources for survivors of sexual assault in Canada
If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to help people in crisis:
If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, you should call 911.
A full list of sexual assault centers in Canada offering information, advocacy and advice can be found at ReeseCommunity.com. Resources in your community can be found by entering your zip code.
Helplines, legal services, and locations offering sexual assault kits can be found in Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. here.
National Residential Schools Crisis Line: +1 866 925 4419
24 hour crisis line: 416 597 8808
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010
Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366
Sexual Misconduct Support for Current or Former Members of the Military: +1 844 750 1648
Read about your rights as a victim here.