Tag Archives: Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein cooling his heels in special Rikers cell after overturned rape conviction – New York Post

  1. Harvey Weinstein cooling his heels in special Rikers cell after overturned rape conviction New York Post
  2. Star witness in Harvey Weinstein trial says she’d consider testifying after overturned conviction: ‘This isn’t just about me’ CNN
  3. Can Weinstein’s Overturned New York Conviction Help Him Appeal California Case? The New York Times
  4. “Sexual violence is such a thief”: Ashley Judd speaks out against overturn of Weinstein conviction Salon
  5. Here’s why Harvey Weinstein’s New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next The Associated Press

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“Sexual violence is such a thief”: Ashley Judd speaks out against overturn of Weinstein conviction – Salon

  1. “Sexual violence is such a thief”: Ashley Judd speaks out against overturn of Weinstein conviction Salon
  2. Star witness in Harvey Weinstein trial says she’d consider testifying after overturned conviction: ‘This isn’t just about me’ CNN
  3. Can Weinstein’s Overturned New York Conviction Help Him Appeal California Case? The New York Times
  4. Here’s why Harvey Weinstein’s New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next The Associated Press
  5. Judge installed by liberal Democrats over centrist Hochul pick responsible for Harvey Weinstein ruling New York Post

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Bryan Lourd Hits Back At Ari Emanuel, Calling Him “Erratic” & “Self-Serving” Over Harvey Weinstein Comments – Deadline

  1. Bryan Lourd Hits Back At Ari Emanuel, Calling Him “Erratic” & “Self-Serving” Over Harvey Weinstein Comments Deadline
  2. CAA’s Bryan Lourd Fires Back at Ari Emanuel: He’s “Erratic” and “Self-Serving” Hollywood Reporter
  3. Bryan Lourd Talks SAG-AFTRA Strike, ‘Brand Alignment’ With Pinault and Ari Emanuel Diss Variety
  4. Ari Emanuel Takes Aim At CAA Over Harvey Weinstein Handling, Teases Netflix Deals, Urges Actors, Studios To Strike Deal & Condemns Benjamin Netanyahu Deadline
  5. CAA CEO Bryan Lourd Disputed Ari Emanuel’s Allegations Over Harvey Weinstein Bloomberg
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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CAA Claims Julia Ormond Wanted $15M To Keep Agency Out Of Harvey Weinstein Lawsuit; “We Will Expose The Real Facts,” Actress’ Lawyer Says – Deadline

  1. CAA Claims Julia Ormond Wanted $15M To Keep Agency Out Of Harvey Weinstein Lawsuit; “We Will Expose The Real Facts,” Actress’ Lawyer Says Deadline
  2. Julia Ormond Sues Harvey Weinstein for Battery, CAA and Disney as Enablers of Sexual Assault (EXCLUSIVE) Variety
  3. Julia Ormond sues Harvey Weinstein for battery along with Disney, CAA and Miramax for negligence CNN
  4. Actress Julia Ormond sues Harvey Weinstein for battery The Washington Post
  5. Julia Ormond sues Harvey Weinstein for sexual assault, claims Miramax and Disney knew he was ‘a danger’ Fox News
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Goldie Hawn Reflects on Her Failed ‘Chicago’ Movie With Madonna and Telling Off Harvey Weinstein: ‘Don’t F— With Me’ – Variety

  1. Goldie Hawn Reflects on Her Failed ‘Chicago’ Movie With Madonna and Telling Off Harvey Weinstein: ‘Don’t F— With Me’ Variety
  2. Goldie Hawn Says Overboard Shouldn’t Have Been Remade: ‘I’m Not a Fan of Remakes, Period’ MovieWeb
  3. Goldie Hawn Opens Up About CHICAGO Movie Audition With Madonna Broadway World
  4. Goldie Hawn on Her Big Oscars Regret, the Death of the Movie Star and Not Retiring From Acting Just Yet Variety
  5. Goldie Hawn Reveals Her Oscars Regret, Thoughts on Will Smith-Chris Rock Slap, Harvey Weinstein, Cancel Culture, Failed ‘Chicago’ Movie With Madonna & More in ‘Variety’ Interview Just Jared
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Paris Hilton Says Harvey Weinstein Followed Her to the Bathroom, Tried to Open the Door and Yelled at Her When She Was 19: ‘I Was Scared’ – Variety

  1. Paris Hilton Says Harvey Weinstein Followed Her to the Bathroom, Tried to Open the Door and Yelled at Her When She Was 19: ‘I Was Scared’ Variety
  2. Paris Hilton Recounts A Frightening Encounter With Harvey Weinstein HuffPost
  3. Paris Hilton Was Left “Scared” And Freaked Out When Harvey Weinstein Followed Her To The Bathroom And Had To Be Forcibly Removed By Security BuzzFeed News
  4. Paris Hilton Claims Harvey Weinstein Followed Her Into A Bathroom As A Teen: ‘He Was Just Like That’ ETCanada.com
  5. Paris Hilton Recounts Upsetting Harvey Weinstein Incident Yahoo Life
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1 woman’s story of rape convinced all Weinstein trial jurors

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Most of the jurors at Harvey Weinstein’s Los Angeles trial were ready to convict him of crimes related to three of the four women he was charged with raping or sexually assaulting.

Yet after weeks of deliberation the eight men and four women voted unanimously to convict him of crimes against only one: a Russian-born model and actor known as Jane Doe 1. She lived in Rome and was visiting California for a film festival at age 34 in 2013, when she said the now-disgraced film mogul appeared uninvited at her Los Angeles hotel room door in the middle of the night.

The jurors were released from service and allowed to talk publicly after more than two months Tuesday, when they could not reach a unanimous decision on two aggravating factors that might have made for a higher sentence. Their deliberations took nine days spanning more than two weeks, but those who spoke to reporters said the talks were never contentious.

Weinstein was found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault against Jane Doe 1. He now faces up to 18 years in prison in California to go with a 23-year sentence for a rape and sexual assault conviction in New York.

Jurors said that Jane Doe 1′s composure, and the fact that she did not contact Weinstein after he raped her, allowed the divided group to reach consensus on her accusations.

“I thought Jane Doe 1 was very convincing in her story,” said one juror, a 62-year-old man who works in banking and only provided his first name, Michael, because he sought to maintain privacy amid the publicity surrounding the case.

The physical and technical evidence surrounding Jane Doe 1 was some of the thinnest at the trial, but jurors were told that under the law, if they found an accuser’s story credible, that alone could be enough to convict.

They acquitted Weinstein on a count of sexual battery against a massage therapist. They were deadlocked, with 10 of 12 voting for guilt, on a count of sexual battery against model Lauren Young; and voting 8-4 in favor of conviction on rape and sexual assault counts involving Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Jane Doe 1 only one among them who had no further direct dealings with Weinstein or his representatives after the incident. She testified she had barely known who he was, having been introduced only briefly at the film festival, and wanted nothing from him. Others, including Siebel Newsom, had friendly email exchanges with Weinstein or sought out future meetings after their incidents, a point the defense pounded in their cross-examinations and closing arguments.

That resonated with some jurors.

Michael said he voted to convict on the Jane Doe 1 counts, but reluctantly voted to acquit on the counts involving Siebel Newsom. The difference, he said, was the women’s “subsequent action.”

“In a 2 ½ year period she had sent Mr. Weinstein over 35 emails,” he said of Siebel Newsom. “She wanted access to Harvey Weinstein. It sounded like she wanted access to a lot of his resources. It raised a reasonable doubt in my mind.”

Weinstein has repeatedly denied engaging in any non-consensual sex. His lawyers called some of the encounters in the charges consensual and others flat-out fabricated, including the story told by Jane Doe 1. They pointed out that prosecutors had not even produced independent evidence to place Weinstein at her hotel.

“Jane Doe 1 is lying. Period,” Weinstein lawyer Alan Jackson said in his closing argument.

One juror suggested that the broad statement was undermined by defense arguments that engaged with the details of Jane Doe 1′s account.

“I think Jackson’s last comment where Harvey just wasn’t there, hurt him,” said the juror, Arnold Esqueda, who works as director of security for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. “They were defending all these things, and then they just say he’s not there. Well they should have just said he’s not there.”

He said he and other jurors made that point to a “very old school” man on the jury who who “decided that he was going vote guilty on that one. He stayed pretty much not guilty on the rest.”

While tearful at times, Jane Doe 1′s testimony was restrained and straightforward in comparison to some that followed. She spoke slowly with a Russian accent, and made nearly no use of a translator on hand.

Esqueda said the intensely emotional testimony of Siebel Newsom, who was screaming through tears at times during her testimony, might have been too much for some fellow jurors. The panel was divided 6-6 on the counts involving her when he suggested getting a read-back of her testimony from the court reporter.

“She had a little drama,” Esqueda said. “So I suggested let’s re-read it, and I think after we read it it switched a couple of people in her favor, without the drama.”

Changes over time in the massage therapist’s story helped lead jurors to acquit on that count, Michael said.

The Associated Press does not typically name people who have said they were sexually abused, unless they come forward publicly or have given consent through their attorneys, as Young and Siebel Newsom have.

Judge Lisa Lench tentatively scheduled Weinstein’s sentencing for Jan. 9 after his attorneys asked that it be done promptly.

But Lench said it might not happen so quickly given the issues surrounding the case, including prosecutors’ pending decision on whether or not to retry the deadlocked counts.

“We’ll need to consult the victims first and foremost,” Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson said.

He asked the judge if other Weinstein accusers, including some who testified against him at trial but were not part of the charges, and the women whose counts were deadlocked, might give victim impact statements at the sentencing.

Lench promptly rejected the idea.

“I’m not going to make this an open forum on all of the allegations that were presented in this trial,” she said.

“So it’ll just be Jane Doe 1 then,” Thompson replied.

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton

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For more on the Harvey Weinstein trial, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/harvey-weinstein



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Harvey Weinstein: Los Angeles jury deadlocks on factors that could have increased his sentence



CNN
 — 

After convicting former film producer Harvey Weinstein of rape and sexual assault, a Los Angeles jury could not reach a unanimous verdict Tuesday on alleged aggravating factors that could have increased his sentence.

The three charges Weinstein was convicted of – rape, sexual penetration by foreign object and forcible oral copulation – were all tied to one of his accusers, Jane Doe 1, a model and actress who testified the movie mogul assaulted her in a Beverly Hills hotel room in February 2013.

Jurors were asked to determine if Jane Doe 1 was harmed and particularly vulnerable, and if Weinstein committed the crimes with planning, professionalism, or sophistication.

Ten members of the jury found the aggravating factors had been met, but two jurors could not be swayed, one of the jurors told CNN.

“The jury has said they are not able to reach a unanimous verdict on these issues,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa Lench said, according to a pool report. “I am going to declare a mistrial with respect to the allegations.”

Had the jury found Weinstein guilty of the aggravating factors, a new California law would have then allowed the judge to enact a harsher sentence.

Jurors had deliberated for several hours Tuesday. After the jury indicated further deliberations would not sway them, neither the prosecution or the defense pushed to have the jurors deliberate further.

When Lench asked prosecutor Paul Thompson if Weinstein will be retried on the deadlock counts, the pool report said he responded: “We need to consult the victims first and foremost.”

Weinstein’s sentencing was tentatively set for January 9, with Lench allowing only Jane Doe 1 to offer a victim impact statement. He is expected to serve 18 years.

“Harvey Weinstein forever destroyed a part of me that night in 2013. I will never get that back,” said Jane Doe 1 in a statement released through her attorney. “The criminal trial was brutal. Weinstein’s lawyers put me through hell on the witness stand. But I knew I had to see this through the end, and I did … I hope Harvey Weinstein never sees the outside of a prison cell during his lifetime.”

The disgraced movie mogul was found guilty Monday of three of seven charges against him in his second sexual assault trial. The jury acquitted Weinstein of one count of sexual battery by restraint against a massage therapist in a hotel room in 2010.

They were a hung jury on one count of sexual battery by restraint, one count of forcible oral copulation and one count of rape related to two other women – including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker and first partner to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Weinstein had pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. His spokesman said he was “disappointed” with the outcome of the trial but “he is prepared to continue fighting for his innocence.”

The verdict was reached as jurors entered their third week of deliberations, meeting for a total of 41 hours over a period of 10 days following weeks of oftentimes emotional testimony.

Two jurors who spoke with CNN after they were dismissed from court Tuesday shared their thoughts on the trial, both saying politics played absolutely no role in their deliberations.

“Everyone realized the weight of this trial. There’s a lot riding on this for both sides,” said Michael, a 62-year-old juror who declined to share his last name.

Michael said the contact the accusers had with Weinstein following their alleged assaults was a key factor in deciding the verdict. That was specifically applied to Siebel Newsom, who, according to dozens of emails presented as evidence in the trial, maintained contact with Weinstein.

Michael said he found Jane Doe 1 to be the most convincing.

“We felt horrible for everybody,” but felt like the addition of uncharged witnesses became confusing for some jurors, said Jay, another juror who also declined to share his last name.

“Everybody seemed believable. It’s hard to prove all of them with time and memory,” Jay added.

Elizabeth Fegan, an attorney representing Siebel Newsom, who was identified in court as Jane Doe 4, said they were disappointed the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on the charges related to her client.

“My client, Jane Doe 4, shared her story not with an expectation to testify but to support all the survivors who bravely came forward,” Fegan said in a statement to CNN. “While we are heartened that the jury found Weinstein guilty on some of the counts, we are disappointed that the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on Jane Doe 4. She will continue to fight for all women and all survivors of abuse against a system that permits the victim to be shamed and re-traumatized in the name of justice.”

Weinstein is two years into a 23-year sentence for a 2020 New York conviction, which his attorneys have appealed, putting more attention on the outcome of the trial in Los Angeles.

The weekslong Los Angeles trial saw emotional testimony from Weinstein’s accusers – a model, a dancer, a massage therapist and Siebel Newsom – all of whom were asked to recount the details of their allegations against him, provide details of meetings with the producer from years ago, and explain their reactions to the alleged assaults.

Additionally, four women testified they were subjected to similar behavior by Weinstein in other jurisdictions.

Weinstein initially faced 11 charges, but four counts connected to an unnamed woman were dropped without explanation. She did not testify in the trial.

In closing arguments, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Marlene Martinez called Weinstein a “titan” who used his power in Hollywood to prey on and silence women.

Meanwhile, Weinstein’s attorneys maintained the allegations are either fabricated or occurred consensually as part of a “transactional relationship” with the movie producer, repeatedly saying there is no evidence of assault.

Defense attorney Alan Jackson called the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”

Jane Doe 2, who was identified as Lauren Young, told her attorney Gloria Allred by phone that she was happy Weinstein was convicted on some counts despite there being a mistrial on her count, Allred said in a news conference after the verdict.

“I am relieved that Harvey Weinstein has been convicted because he deserves to be punished for the crimes that he committed, and he can no longer use his power to intimidate and sexually assault more women,” Young said in a statement read by Allred.

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Harvey Weinstein: Jury reaches verdict in sexual assault trial



CNN
 — 

[Breaking news update, published at 6:05 p.m. ET]

A Los Angeles jury reached a verdict Monday in the sexual assault trial of Harvey Weinstein, the former movie producer who is accused of using his Hollywood influence to lure women into private meetings and assault them. The verdict will be announced shortly.

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to seven charges in all: two counts each of forcible rape, sexual battery by restraint and forcible oral copulation, and one count of sexual penetration by foreign object.

If found guilty, Weinstein could face 60 years to life in prison, plus an additional five years.

The verdict was reached as jurors entered their third week of deliberations, meeting for a total of 41 hours over a period of 10 days.

Weinstein was convicted of similar charges in New York in 2020 and was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

[Original story, published at 2:02 p.m. ET]

A Los Angeles jury resumed deliberations Monday in Harvey Weinstein’s second sexual assault trial, meeting for a tenth day to decide on a verdict after weeks of testimony.

The disgraced movie mogul, who is accused of using his Hollywood influence to lure women into private meetings and assault them, awaits a decision from behind bars.

Weinstein faces two counts of forcible rape and five counts of sexual assault related to accusations from four women, including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker and the wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who alleged Weinstein raped her in a hotel room in 2005.

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges against him. He initially faced 11 charges, but four counts connected to an unnamed woman were dropped after she did not testify.

The jury had already deliberated for about 37 total hours when they adjourned last Wednesday, without a verdict reached.

The former film producer is already serving a 23-year sentence for a New York sexual assault conviction. His attorneys have appealed that conviction, which has placed more attention on the outcome of the trial in Los Angeles.

If the jury in Los Angeles finds him guilty, Weinstein could face 60 years to life in prison, plus an additional five years.

The Los Angeles jury has deliberated longer than the New York jury in Weinstein’s first criminal trial, in which he was convicted of criminal sex act and third-degree rape after 26 hours of deliberations.

As deliberations went on in Los Angeles, the jury asked the court a question and at least twice asked for testimony to be read back. Los Angeles Superior Court officials have not provided specifics on those requests.

The weekslong Los Angeles trial saw emotional testimony from Weinstein’s accusers – a model, a dancer, a massage therapist and Siebel Newsom – all of whom were asked to recount the details of their allegations against him, provide details of meetings with the producer from years ago, and explain their reactions to the alleged assaults.

In closing arguments, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Marlene Martinez called Weinstein a “titan” who used his power in Hollywood to prey on and silence women.

“Rapists rape. You can look at the pattern,” fellow prosecutor Paul Thompson told jurors.

“You have irrefutable, overwhelming evidence about the nature of this man and what he did to these women,” Thompson said.

Meanwhile, Weinstein’s attorneys have maintained the allegations are either fabricated or occurred consensually as part of a “transactional relationship” with the movie producer, repeatedly saying there is no evidence of assault.

Defense attorney Alan Jackson called the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”

The trial in Los Angeles included testimony from the four accusers identified as Jane Does in court, and other witnesses, including experts, law enforcement, friends of accusers and former aides to Weinstein.

Additionally, four women testified they were subjected to similar behavior by Weinstein in other jurisdictions.

Each morning at trial, Weinstein was brought from a correctional facility and wheeled into the Los Angeles courtroom wearing a suit and tie and holding a composition notebook.

His accusers all began their oftentimes emotional testimonies by identifying him in the courtroom as he looked on.

“He’s wearing a suit, and a blue tie and he’s staring at me,” Siebel Newsom said last month, before what was one of the most emotional moments of the trial.

On Thursday of last week, defense attorney Jackson asked jurors if they could “accept what (the Jane Does) say as gospel,” arguing what they said was a lack of forensic evidence supporting their claim.

“Five words that sum up the entirety of the prosecution’s case: ‘Take my word for it,’” Jackson said. “‘Take my word for it that he showed up at my hotel room unannounced. Take my word for it that I showed up at his hotel room. Take my word for it that I didn’t consent. Take my word for it, that I said no.’ “

Siebel Newsom described an hourslong “cat-and-mouse period,” which preceded her alleged assault. She, like other accusers, described feeling “frozen” that day.

Attorneys for Weinstein do not deny the incident occurred, but said he believed it was consensual.

Jackson called the incident “consensual, transactional sex,” adding: “Regret is not the same thing as rape. And it’s important we make that distinction in this courtroom.”

Women’s rights lawyer Gloria Allred, who is representing Jane Doe 2 in the case, told CNN she hopes the jury sees her client “has no motive at all to do anything but tell the truth.”

“She never sought or received any compensation … She doesn’t live in California anymore. But she is testifying because she’s been asked to testify and I hope that they see her as the young woman that she was when she met Harvey Weinstein, and the woman that she is today approximately nine to 10 years later. Her life has changed,” Allred said.

“To be willing to subject yourself to what could be a very brutal cross-examination. That takes a very special person to do that. And she is a special person. I’m very proud,” Allred said.

In her closing arguments, Martinez also highlighted the women who testified chose to do so despite knowing they would face tough conditions in court.

“The truth is that, as you sit here, we know the despicable behavior the defendant engaged in. He thought he was so powerful that people would … excuse his behavior,” Martinez said. “That’s just Harvey being Harvey. That’s just Hollywood. And for so long that’s what everyone did. Everyone just turned their heads.”

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Harvey Weinstein Attorney in Testy Exchange With Gavin Newsom’s Wife

  • Gavin Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom testified again in Harvey Weinstein’s LA rape trial.
  • On Tuesday, Siebel Newsom faced intense cross-examination from Weinstein’s attorneys.
  • She was grilled about her interviews with authorities, and the ‘pleasure sounds’ she brought up on Monday.

Harvey Weinstein’s attorney pressed California governor Gavin Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom at Weinstein’s Los Angeles trial on rape charges Tuesday, attempting to poke holes in her testimony during a testy cross-examination.

Siebel Newsom took the stand for the second day on Tuesday, clashing with Weinstein attorney Mark Werksman through his rapid line of questioning, which centered around Newsom’s allegation and previous testimony that Weinstein raped her at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills in 2005.

Weinstein — who is already serving a 23-year sentence after a separate trial in New York — is currently standing trial in LA on 7 counts of sexual assault, stemming from the allegations of five different women who say he abused them in hotels between 2004 and 2013. Weinstein denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty. 

Werksman zeroed in on what Siebel Newsom told Los Angeles District Attorney investigators and a grand jury in 2020 about the alleged assault, also prodding her testimony from Monday. Siebel Newsom told Werksman that she initially thought her claim was beyond the statute of limitations.

“When you told the police, do you think that the things that you told police would lead to the filing of criminal charges?” Werksman asked, according to the trial pool report. “I honestly was just telling my truth and I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be,” Siebel Newsom replied. 

Siebel Newsom said under questioning Tuesday that she was unsure if she told police that in an effort to exit the assault, she helped Weinstein ejaculate, as she testified yesterday.

“Sometimes things are in my head and I can’t remember whether I’ve said them or not,” Siebel Newsom said. 

“Yesterday you mentioned having nightmares. Have you had a difficult time actually discerning what happened in a nightmare and what actually happened in a bedroom at the Peninsula?” Werksman asked. “No, no.” Siebel Newsom answered.

“Over the last several days my client, Jane Doe 4, took the very difficult and painful step to publicly recount her sexual assault at the hands of Harvey Weinstein. She knew that it might have been easier to keep the memory of her 2005 assault buried, but she could not,” Siebel Newsom’s attorney Elizabeth Fegan told Insider in a statement. “Throughout her testimony she demonstrated tremendous strength and resolve in telling her truth and stood fast as Weinstein’s defense team ruthlessly tried to discredit her.”

On Monday, Siebel Newsom testified that to exit the situation, she made “pleasure sounds” and helped Weinstein ejaculate with her hand, then managed to dress and leave the room. Through Werksman’s questions, Siebel Newsom had taken issue with Werksman’s use of the word “orgasm.”

“You had faked an orgasm,” Werksman said. “It was not long. This is not When Harry Met Sally.” Siebel Newsom said, telling Werksman the use of the word orgasm was “so gross.”

In opening statements, Werksman said Siebel Newsom would “be just another bimbo who slept with Harvey Weinstein to get ahead in Hollywood” if she didn’t call herself a victim of rape.

Werksman suggested in opening statements that two of the women’s accounts were false, while the other three women engaged in “transactional sex” with Weinstein to further their careers.

“Your energy is just so intense, you’re just adding things,” Siebel Newsom told Werksman, who welcomed her to correct him and said she didn’t answer some of his questions.

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