Jury deliberations to continue Monday in Harvey Weinstein sexual assault trial
Former film producer Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty to two counts of forcible rape and five counts of sexual assault involving four women.
By Cheri Mossburg and Christina Maxouris, CNN
A Los Angeles jury will continue its deliberations Monday morning 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.
Jurors began deliberating Friday afternoon after hearing the prosecution’s closing remarks, and were instructed on the law by the judge.
“Rapists rape. You can look at the pattern,” prosecutor Paul Thompson told jurors, urging the group to “find justice for these victims.”
“You have irrefutable, overwhelming evidence about the nature of this man and what he did to these women,” Thompson said.
“Do the right thing,” the attorney added.
The defense has maintained the allegations are either fabricated or occurred consensually, highlighting there is no evidence of the allegations.
Weinstein, 70, is charged with two counts of forcible rape and five counts of sexual assault involving four women; a model, a dancer, a massage therapist and a producer. He has pleaded not guilty to the seven charges against him.
If the jury finds him guilty, Weinstein could face 60 years to life in prison, plus an additional five years.
Weinstein was convicted of a criminal sex act and third-degree rape during a 2020 trial in New York, and is currently serving a 23-year sentence for those crimes. His attorneys have appealed the conviction.
Thursday marked the end of closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense, bringing the weekslong trial one step closer to a verdict.
Jurors heard from about 50 witnesses, including four accusers who were identified in court as Jane Does due to the nature of their allegations.
Four other women testified they faced similar behavior at Weinstein’s hands. Those alleged incidents are not being charged as part of this case because they happened outside of Los Angeles County.
Midway through the trial, four of the original 11 charges against Weinstein tied to a fifth Jane Doe were dropped without explanation.
What each side has argued
On Thursday, defense attorney Alan Jackson asked the 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.’ “
Jackson called the accusers “fame and fortune seekers,” claiming they either made up their stories or benefited from a “transactional relationship” with Weinstein.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, one of the accusers, who is a producer, actress and the wife of California’s governor, testified Weinstein raped her in 2005, describing an hourslong “cat-and-mouse period” which preceded her alleged assault.
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.”
But in her closing arguments spanning parts of Wednesday and Thursday, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Marlene Martinez had argued Weinstein was a “titan” who used his power in Hollywood to prey on and silence women, and 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.”
The prosecutor added: “It is time for the defendant’s reign of terror to end, and it is time for the kingmaker to be brought to justice.”
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CNN’s Aya Elamroussi contributed to this report.
