Harvey Weinstein faces four counts of rape and seven other counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles.
Opening statements in the case are expected to begin today.
The allegations are the latest in a series of allegations against the company. shamed movie mogul – Formerly considered a Hollywood royalty and one of the most awarded producers in history.
The 70-year-old is already serving 23 years in prison Arrested for rape and sexual assault in California Convicted in New York in 2020.
Here are all the details of his latest court case.
What was Weinstein accused of?
Weinstein is charged with 11 counts of rape and sexual assault against five women in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills between 2004 and 2013.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
If convicted on all 11 counts, Weinstein could be sentenced to up to 140 years in prison.
Who are Weinstein’s accusers?
Documentary filmmaker and actress Jennifer Siebel Newsom is one of five women accused of Weinstein.
Between 2002 and 2011, she had small roles in dozens of films and TV shows, and most recently directed gender-focused documentaries, including Big American Lies and Fair Play. She is married to California Governor Gavin Newsom.
She initially wrote about her experience with Weinstein in a 2017 Huffington Post article, but gave few details at the time.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom
Ms Newsom’s attorney, Elizabeth Fagan, said in a statement: “Like many other women, my client was sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein at a business meeting that was allegedly a trap.
“She intends to testify at his trial in order to seek some degree of justice for survivors and as part of her life’s work to improve women’s lives.”
The other four women will remain anonymous and give evidence as Jane Doe.
Most of the alleged events, like Mrs Newsom’s, were held under the guise of business meetings at luxury hotels in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, which Weinstein uses as his California home during awards season and throughout the year. headquarters.
Four of the attacks allegedly occurred during Oscars week 2013, when Weinstein’s hit films Silver Linings Playbook and Django Unchained brought back many of the figurines.
Weinstein was pictured with a walking frame at a previous trial
Who are the witnesses?
The initial witness list had more than 270 names, but the final list is expected to have less than half that number. The list has not been made public.
One witness, Barbara Schneeweiss, a producer of “Project Runway” and other TV shows, was in court when the judge told her to be on call.
Jurors were also given a long list of witness names in the upcoming trial, including the plaintiffs’ names, to determine if they had any connection to them.
read more:
Harvey Weinstein: The Fall of the King of Hollywood
Prosecutors will also be allowed to use parts of Weinstein’s New York rape and sexual assault convictions as evidence.
Hollywood actor and director Mel Gibson is a potential witness against Weinstein after a judge ruled that Weinstein could testify.
Prosecutors said Gibson, who won an Oscar for directing “Braveheart,” was a friend of one of the accusers.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa Rench ruled that Gibson could testify about what a friend told him about Weinstein, though the judge said she could change her mind based on her friend’s testimony.
Will there be a jury?
It’s a jury trial, and 12 jurors have been selected — nine men and three women.
Most of them seem to be between 40 and 70 years old. Some appeared to be older than that, with one man appearing to be in his 20s and 20s.
Ten alternate jurors will also sit throughout the trial, ready to step in and replace any 12 jurors should anyone fail to serve.
They were selected from 225 potential jurors who all filled out a lengthy questionnaire.
It is understood that the included questions included how much media coverage of Weinstein they had seen and whether they had formed an opinion from it.
There’s also a question about California law, which states that a sexual assault victim’s testimony alone can be sufficient evidence for a conviction if jurors believe them.
Weinstein at trial in New York in 2020
What happened during the 2020 New York trial?
Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence in California after his March 2020 convictions for the 2006 assault on production assistant Mimi Haley at his apartment and the 2013 third-degree rape of Jessica Mann Extradition to California.
he is currently appeal these convictions.
In a landmark trial, 100+ womenincluding famous actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Salma Hayek and Uma Thurman, Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct decades ago – pushing back against sexual abuse and harassment The #MeToo movement.
He was convicted of first-degree rape and two counts of predatory sexual assault dating back to the 1990s.
Before his extradition to California, he served time at Wind Correctional Facility in Buffalo, New York, a high-security prison.
Weinstein in his prime, pictured on the red carpet in 2015
How did Weinstein fall out of favor?
Harvey Weinstein was once the king of Hollywood, a man with the power to make and break a career in movies.
But in October 2017, in The New York Times and The New Yorker, the Oscar-winning producer was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women. He was also accused of reaching settlements to keep the story quiet.
In the months that followed, dozens more women came forward to accuse Weinstein of rape, sexual assault and harassment decades ago.
The police investigation into the allegations stretched from Los Angeles to New York and London.
Weinstein admitted his actions “caused a lot of pain” but has consistently denied all sexual allegations against him.
In September 2020, Weinstein was stripped of his CBE status following his conviction.
Since the allegations against him first surfaced, many of Weinstein’s other honors during his career – including France’s prestigious Legion of Honor – have been revoked.
The Oscar winner, who produced blockbusters like “Pulp Fiction,” “The English Patient,” “Good Will Hunting,” “Gangs of New York” and “Shakespeare in Love,” was expelled from the academy in 2017.
They have previously nominated his work for 341 awards, winning him 81 figurines over the past 26 years.