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Disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein arrived at a Manhattan court in New York on Monday (local time) for the start of his landmark trial on charges of rape — allegations that fuelled the #MeToo movement and a reckoning for powerful men accused of sexual misconduct.
Key points:
- More than 80 women have accused Mr Weinstein of sexual misconduct
- Mr Weinstein denied the allegations, saying the sexual encounters were consensual
- Women in the US, Canada and Europe have also brought civil claims against him
Once one of Hollywood's most powerful producers, Mr Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two women in New York.
He faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault.
Mr Weinstein entered court leaning on a walker following a recent back surgery, sporting a dark suit and dishevelled hair.
Outside the courthouse, the Silence Breakers, a group of Mr Weinstein's accusers including actresses Rosanna Arquette and Rose McGowan, held a press conference, demanding the former producer be held accountable.
"As we stand here at the beginning of a new year and a new decade, time's up on sexual harassment in all workplaces," Arquette said.
"And time's up on the pervasive culture of silence that has enabled abusers like Weinstein."
Mr Weinstein did not engage with the accusers who shouted at him outside court and McGowan was dismissive of Weinstein's feeble appearance.
"I think he's taken some good acting tips," she said.
Trial hanging over awards season
Monday's court proceedings will be a pretrial conference in state court in Manhattan, with jury selection starting on Tuesday (local time), according to a spokesman for the Manhattan District Attorney.
Mr Weinstein faces allegations that he raped one woman in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and performed a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.
A spokesman for Mr Weinstein said on Thursday (local time) that the two women in the criminal case had long-term relationships with Mr Weinstein.
He said it was prejudicial to conflate the criminal matter with allegations in civil cases or with public grievances he said were lodged by women who were not part of any lawsuit.
More than 80 women have accused Mr Weinstein of sexual misconduct dating back decades.
Those accusations helped fuel the #MeToo movement, in which hundreds of women have publicly accused powerful men in business, politics, the news media and entertainment of sexual harassment or assault.
Mr Weinstein has denied the allegations, saying any sexual encounters he had were consensual.
The trial will hang over the Hollywood awards season which began with Monday's Golden Globes.
Mr Weinstein was once a fixture at the industry's glitzy ceremonies, with numerous critically acclaimed small-budget films such as Shakespeare in Love, which won the Oscar for best picture in 1999.
Legal problems likely to continue, even if acquitted
Finding impartial New York City jurors amid the media frenzy surrounding the Weinstein case will be a challenge for both legal teams, experts said.
Lawyers will likely question potential jurors about their knowledge and opinion of the case, their work history and whether they have been victims of sexual misconduct.
If Mr Weinstein is acquitted, he is still likely to face legal problems.
At least 29 women in the United States, Canada and Europe have brought civil claims against him.
The allegations in the civil lawsuits range from battery, assault and defamation to sex trafficking and racketeering. He has denied the allegations.
The parties have been trying to work out a $US 25 million ($36.5 million) settlement to resolve most of the civil cases.
The deal would not require Mr Weinstein to contribute personally or to admit wrongdoing, prompting at least one woman to reject the proposal.
The film company Weinstein founded with his brother Bob, The Weinstein Co, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2018.
Reuters/AP
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, sexual-offences, united-states
First posted