Harvey Weinstein Rape Trial Begins, 2 Years After #MeToo First Took Place
Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct and rape by several women two years ago when #MeToo's first wave took place. His trail now began in New York on Wednesday.
Harvey
Weinstein's
trial
began
on
January
23
in
the
State
of
New
York,
the
former
Miramax
Films
boss
walked
to
the
court
without
a
walking
stick
unlike
his
previous
hearings.
Harvey
if
convicted
of
predatory
sexual
assault
charges
faces
a
chance
at
life
in
prison.
The
producer
has
been
accused
by
several
women
that
led
to
the
#MeToo
movement.
Lawyer
Damon
Cheronis
earlier
in
defence
said,
they
have
number
of
emails
sent
by
the
women
which
undermine
claims
of
non-consensual
sex.
As
per
reports
Weinstein's
attorneys
were
said
to
try
and
convince
the
court,
that
his
two
accusers
engaged
in
consensual
relationships
with
the
defendant
and
only
later
claimed
the
incidents
were
forced.
He
has
been
accused
of
forcibly
performing
oral
sex
on
former
production
assistant
Mimi
Haleyi
in
his
New
York
apartment
in
July
2006.
And
another
unidentified
woman
came
forward
saying
Weinstein
has
raped
her
in
a
New
York
hotel
room
back
in
March
2013.
Four
other
women
including
actress
Annabella
Sciorra
and
three
unnamed
alleged
victims,
may
also
be
called
to
the
stand,
in
an
effort
to
convince
the
12-member
jury
of
Weinstein's
predatory
sexual
behaviour
pattern.
According
to
reports,
80
women
came
forward
and
accused
Weinstein
of
sexual
misconduct
since
October
2017.
Out
of
which
many
fall
out
of
the
time
frame
to
be
able
to
file
charges.
The
jury
includes
seven
men
and
five
women
for
the
trail,
which
may
run
long
until
March
6,
2020.