© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein seems in court docket on the Clara Shortridge Foltz Felony Justice Heart in Los Angeles, California, USA, 04 October 2022. Harvey Weinstein was extradited from New York to Los Angeles to face sex-related cha
By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and the spouse of California’s governor, testified on Monday that former movie producer Harvey Weinstein raped her in 2005 when she was attempting to construct a profession as a producer and actor.
On the witness stand in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom, Siebel Newsom mentioned she met Weinstein, now 70, on the Toronto Movie Pageant when she was 31 and had acted in some small movie and TV roles.
Weeks later in California, Weinstein invited her to fulfill him at The Peninsula lodge in Beverly Hills for what she thought was a enterprise assembly, she testified. She was stunned to be taught that she was supposed to fulfill Weinstein, then one of the vital highly effective producers in Hollywood, in his lodge suite, she mentioned.
When she arrived, Weinstein had little interest in discussing her initiatives, Siebel Newsom mentioned. He went to the toilet, known as her over and commenced masturbating in entrance of her, she mentioned, earlier than touching her breasts and turning into “aggressive.”
“I used to be scared. This was not why I got here right here,” she mentioned, usually breaking into tears. “I simply remembered bodily attempting to again away.”
Siebel Newsom mentioned Weinstein acquired her onto a mattress, although she can’t recall if he carried or dragged her there. He then raped her, she mentioned.
“He was simply so huge and so decided,” she mentioned. “This was hell.”
Weinstein, the person who grew to become the face of #MeToo allegations 5 years in the past, is serving a 23-year jail sentence for intercourse crimes in New York. He’s now on trial in Los Angeles on 11 expenses of rape and sexual assault and has pleaded not responsible.
Siebel Newsom, who was recognized in court docket as Jane Doe #4, is one in every of 4 ladies whose allegations are the idea of the Los Angeles expenses towards Weinstein. Prosecutors had earlier mentioned there have been 5 accusers.
Siebel Newsom’s legal professional confirmed in October that Siebel Newsom would testify within the case.
Protection attorneys have argued that each one of Weinstein’s sexual encounters have been consensual and that his accusers willingly took half in a “casting sofa” tradition to additional their careers in Hollywood.
On the time of the assembly with Siebel Newsom, she had not met her future husband, present California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and he or she mentioned she didn’t inform him what occurred till after allegations towards Weinstein grew to become public.
In cross-examination, Weinstein legal professional Mark Werksman questioned Siebel Newsom about why her husband had accepted marketing campaign donations from the producer. She mentioned the governor returned the cash after she instructed him about her encounter.
Weinstein, 70, was convicted of sexual misconduct in New York in February 2020. He was extradited from New York to a Los Angeles jail in July 2021.
In New York, Weinstein is interesting his conviction and 23-year jail sentence. He might resist 140 years in jail if convicted on the entire expenses in Los Angeles.
