Actually, trial starts in the USA are not very explosive because of the selection of the jury. At the beginning of a second trial against Harvey Weinstein, however, a small bombshell bursts.
A new trial has begun against convicted sex offender and former US film mogul Harvey Weinstein. The 70-year-old faces 11 counts at the Los Angeles trial, including rape and other sexual assault. At the beginning, the selection process for the twelve jurors was started, as several US media reported unanimously.
It is about allegations by five women in a period from 2004 to 2013. Their names are given as “Jane Doe #1 – #5” and anonymized. Most of the incidents are believed to have taken place in Beverly Hills hotels. As before, Weinstein has denied any guilt in this case. Sexual acts were always consensual.
California governor’s wife testifies
Information from the newspaper “Los Angeles Times” was particularly explosive, which reported that the wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom was among the witnesses in the process. Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s attorney said her client had been sexually harassed by Weinstein and would testify. This enabled US media to report on the prominent process participant. Newsom is a documentary filmmaker and actress. Her husband Gavin Newsom has ruled the powerful US state since 2019.
Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York in March 2020 for rape and sexual assault, among other things. The judgment marked a milestone in legal history. In the high-profile case that helped spark the #MeToo movement since 2017, the jury believed the testimonies of several women, despite Weinstein’s protestations of innocence and a lack of physical evidence. More than 80 women accused Weinstein of sexual assault during #MeToo.
The producer of films like “The English Patient”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Good Will Hunting” or “Gangs of New York” is currently in a prison in Los Angeles. British prosecutors also approved charges against Weinstein in June. dpa
