The new trial for rape and sexual assault of Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood mogul, opened Monday, October 10 in Los Angeles with the selection of jurors.
The 70-year-old producer of
Pulp Fiction
has already been convicted in New York, where he has been serving a 23-year prison sentence since 2020 for sexual assault and rape.
This new trial coincides almost to the day with the fifth anniversary of the #MeToo movement, triggered by revelations about his behavior as a sexual predator.
Harvey Weinstein appeared in a Los Angeles courthouse in a wheelchair on Monday, wearing a dark blue suit and light blue tie.
He is due to appear there for the next two months.
Jury selection, which could span the first week, began Monday under the supervision of Judge Lisa Lench.
Read alsoIn the sick mind of Harvey Weinstein: the haunting novel by Emma Cline
He faces eleven counts for alleged acts committed on five women in hotels in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles between 2004 and 2013. If convicted, Harvey Weinstein - who has pleaded not guilty to all counts - could be sentenced to more than 100 additional years behind bars.
A trap"
His conviction in March 2020 in New York, followed by an immediate imprisonment and whose appeal was rejected, was a major victory for the #MeToo movement.
In total, nearly 90 women including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rosanna Arquette have accused Harvey Weinstein of harassment, sexual assault, or rape.
But the statute of limitations has been exceeded in many of these cases, some dating back to 1977.
Read alsoFallen producer Harvey Weinstein files a complaint against Stellantis
The ex-producer is also charged in the United Kingdom for sexual assaults which date back to 1996. Among the five accusers - who will all appear in Los Angeles under the pseudonym of "
Jane Doe
" - figure Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of the Democratic governor of California Gavin Newsom, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"
Like many other women, my client was sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein during an alleged business meeting that turned out to be a trap
," her lawyer Elizabeth Fegan told the newspaper.
“
She intends to testify during her trial in order to obtain some form of justice for the victims and improve the condition of women
,” she added.
Siebel Newsom, a film producer, previously wrote about Harvey Weinstein's behavior in a 2017 essay, but did not elaborate on the alleged assaults.
Huge influence
According to Harvey Weinstein's lawyer, Mark Werksman, quoted by the
Los Angeles Times
, well-known personalities, seen "
in films, in advertisements
", will testify during the trial.
The former producer has always assured that all his accusers were consenting.
Read alsoHarvey Weinstein continues to assert his innocence before the judges in Los Angeles
The allegations are "
unproven, not credible and unsubstantiated
", Mark Werksman told the press in July 2021, arguing that there was no forensic evidence or credible witnesses to support them.
Mr Weinstein's retrial also coincides with the premiere of the film
She Said
, which premieres next week at the New York Film Festival and chronicles the two
New York Times
reporters' investigation into the grip and wrongdoing of the Almighty. producer.
Before his fall, his influence on Hollywood was immense.
Over the years, films produced by Harvey Weinstein, like Quentin Tarantino's
Inglourious Basterds
, have received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes.