One in all Harvey Weinstein’s accusers broke down in tears and swore on the witness stand as a sexual abuse trial continues.
Warning: This text incorporates references to sexual assault
Miriam Haley claims the previous Hollywood mogul compelled oral intercourse on her in July 2006.
The case is being retried after the appeals courtroom overturned his conviction final 12 months.
She was working as a manufacturing assistant on the time.
Weinstein has strenuously denied all allegations, and Ms Haley additionally testified at Weinstein’s preliminary trial.
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Miriam Haley. AP file pic
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Harvey Weinstein on Wednesday as he appeared for his retrial. Pic: AP
The 48-year-old was testifying in a Manhattan courtroom when Weinstein’s defence lawyer Jennifer Bonjean questioned her account of the incident.
In courtroom, Ms Bonjean requested why Ms Haley would conform to Weinstein’s invitation to his residence after testifying about his earlier behaviour, together with her alleging that he barged into her dwelling.
Ms Haley then turned emotional after being requested how her garments got here off earlier than Weinstein allegedly pulled out a tampon and carried out oral intercourse on her.
She stated Weinstein took off her clothes, however she did not recall the small print, earlier than Ms Bonjean requested: “You removed your clothes, right?”
Ms Haley then advised jurors that Weinstein “was the one who raped me, not the other way around” – to which his lawyer stated: “That is for the jury to decide.”
She then began crying and stated: “No, it’s not for the jury to decide. It’s my experience. And he did that to me.”
Decide Curtis Farber then halted questioning and despatched jurors on a break. Ms Haley’s eyes have been crimson and her face was glistening as she left the witness stand.
In February 2020, Weinstein was discovered responsible of sexually assaulting Ms Haley – together with raping former actor Jessica Mann in a New York lodge in 2013 – and sentenced to 23 years in jail.
His conviction for the 2 crimes was overturned in April after an appeals courtroom dominated the trial choose unfairly allowed testimony in opposition to Weinstein based mostly on allegations that weren’t a part of the case.
After the attraction ruling, Weinstein was charged with raping one lady and forcing oral intercourse on two others.
Two of the fees are these he confronted throughout the authentic trial, whereas the third – one of many fees of forcing oral intercourse on Kaja Sokola – was added final 12 months.
Weinstein denies all allegations, and his attorneys argue his accusers had consensual sexual encounters.
Whatever the consequence of the retrial, he’ll stay in jail over a 2022 conviction in Los Angeles for a separate rely of rape. His attorneys are additionally interesting this sentence.
