A former TV manufacturing assistant has advised a courtroom she felt “the unthinkable was happening” throughout an alleged assault by Harvey Weinstein.
Warning: This text incorporates references to sexual assault
Miriam Haley is the primary of the previous film mogul’s accusers to testify at his retrial, which is happening as New York’s highest courtroom overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction.
The previous studio boss, 73, has pleaded not responsible to 1 cost of rape and two of forcing oral intercourse. He denies sexually assaulting anybody.
Ms Haley, who additionally goes by the identify Mimi Haleyi, immediately advised the courtroom Weinstein held her down and compelled oral intercourse on her after she advised him: “No, no – it’s not going to happen.”
She dabbed her eyes as she recalled in courtroom what went by her thoughts through the alleged July 2006 assault.
“The unthinkable was happening, I just thought any unthinkable thing could happen,” she stated. “I just didn’t know where it ended.”
Weinstein, sitting between his legal professionals, shook his head as she spoke.
Ms Haley additionally testified at Weinstein’s preliminary trial.
Picture:
Miriam Haley arriving to the courtroom yesterday. Pic: AP
She started her testimony yesterday by describing how she received to know Weinstein, saying she had some inappropriate and suggestive interactions with him, whereas others had been well mannered {and professional}.
Ms Haley maintains she was at all times seeking to forge knowledgeable connection – not intercourse or romance – with the Miramax founder.
Weinstein’s legal professionals are but to query Ms Haley, however the defence has sought, typically unsuccessfully, to object to prosecutors’ questions, resembling whether or not Ms Haley had any sexual curiosity within the then-powerful producer. She stated she didn’t.
The defence has argued that every one of Weinstein’s accusers consented to sexual actions with him within the hopes of getting work in present enterprise.
The 73-year-old’s retrial contains prices based mostly on allegations from Haley and Jessica Mann, an actress who alleges Weinstein raped her in 2013.
For the primary time, he’s additionally being tried on an allegation of forcing oral intercourse on a former mannequin, Kaja Sokola, in 2006.
