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| Weinstein Trial: ‘I’m Being Raped,’ ‘Project Runway’ Assistant Recalls | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| It started shortly after they went to his apartment. There, she told a jury, alone with him in his huge Manhattan loft, her boss, Harvey Weinstein, lunged at her on a sofa. | It started shortly after they went to his apartment. There, she told a jury, alone with him in his huge Manhattan loft, her boss, Harvey Weinstein, lunged at her on a sofa. |
| They got into a tug-of-war, she said — he was pulling at her and she was trying to push him away. It ended in the bedroom where, she added, she attempted to deflect him by anxiously announcing that she was on her period. | They got into a tug-of-war, she said — he was pulling at her and she was trying to push him away. It ended in the bedroom where, she added, she attempted to deflect him by anxiously announcing that she was on her period. |
| But that did not deter him, Mimi Haleyi testified on Monday at Mr. Weinstein’s rape trial. Instead, she said, he pushed her onto a bed, held her down and forcibly performed oral sex on her. | But that did not deter him, Mimi Haleyi testified on Monday at Mr. Weinstein’s rape trial. Instead, she said, he pushed her onto a bed, held her down and forcibly performed oral sex on her. |
| “I’m being raped,” Ms. Haleyi recalled thinking, adding moments later: “I was in so much shock at the time that I just checked out.” | |
| In recounting the alleged assault — which purportedly took place in July 2006 — Ms. Haleyi, whose legal given name is Miriam, became the second accuser to take the stand against Mr. Weinstein at his long-awaited trial in Lower Manhattan. | In recounting the alleged assault — which purportedly took place in July 2006 — Ms. Haleyi, whose legal given name is Miriam, became the second accuser to take the stand against Mr. Weinstein at his long-awaited trial in Lower Manhattan. |
| Last week, the actress Annabella Sciorra, best known for her role in “The Sopranos,” told the jury that the producer shoved his way into her own apartment in New York and raped her in the winter months of 1993 or 1994. | Last week, the actress Annabella Sciorra, best known for her role in “The Sopranos,” told the jury that the producer shoved his way into her own apartment in New York and raped her in the winter months of 1993 or 1994. |
| In all, six women are testifying against Mr. Weinstein at the trial, which is widely seen as a watershed moment in the #MeToo movement. Mr. Weinstein has been charged with one count of criminal sexual act and predatory sexual assault involving Ms. Haleyi. He is accused of a total of five felony counts, including rape and predatory sexual assault, and faces life in prison if the jury of seven men and five women convict him of the last charge. | In all, six women are testifying against Mr. Weinstein at the trial, which is widely seen as a watershed moment in the #MeToo movement. Mr. Weinstein has been charged with one count of criminal sexual act and predatory sexual assault involving Ms. Haleyi. He is accused of a total of five felony counts, including rape and predatory sexual assault, and faces life in prison if the jury of seven men and five women convict him of the last charge. |
| The trial so far has delved into the thorny issues of consent and sexual dynamics in the film industry. Prosecutors have described how Mr. Weinstein, 67, used his power in the industry and his imposing physicality to coerce women in his orbit into sexual encounters, often grooming them before attacks with inappropriate comments and gestures. | The trial so far has delved into the thorny issues of consent and sexual dynamics in the film industry. Prosecutors have described how Mr. Weinstein, 67, used his power in the industry and his imposing physicality to coerce women in his orbit into sexual encounters, often grooming them before attacks with inappropriate comments and gestures. |
| The criminal charges against Mr. Weinstein are based only on the allegations of Ms. Haleyi and another woman, Jessica Mann, who has accused the producer of raping her in 2013. The judge is allowing the other four women to testify to establish a pattern of behavior, even though most of their allegations are too old to prosecute as crimes under state law. | The criminal charges against Mr. Weinstein are based only on the allegations of Ms. Haleyi and another woman, Jessica Mann, who has accused the producer of raping her in 2013. The judge is allowing the other four women to testify to establish a pattern of behavior, even though most of their allegations are too old to prosecute as crimes under state law. |
| Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers maintain that the producer’s relationships with Ms. Haleyi, now 42, and the other women were consensual. The lawyers said she continued to see Mr. Weinstein long after the alleged attack and had bragged to her friends about her friendship with him. | Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers maintain that the producer’s relationships with Ms. Haleyi, now 42, and the other women were consensual. The lawyers said she continued to see Mr. Weinstein long after the alleged attack and had bragged to her friends about her friendship with him. |
| “It is not going to be this predator-prey dynamic the state so badly wants you to believe,” Damon Cheronis, one of Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers, said during his opening statement. | “It is not going to be this predator-prey dynamic the state so badly wants you to believe,” Damon Cheronis, one of Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers, said during his opening statement. |
| On the witness stand on Monday, Ms. Haleyi testified that she first met Mr. Weinstein at a movie premiere in London for “The Aviator” in 2004. At the time, she was a young production assistant, born in Finland and raised in Sweden. Mr. Weinstein was — and had been for a decade — a Hollywood producer who had reshaped the independent film industry with Oscar-winning films like “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” | On the witness stand on Monday, Ms. Haleyi testified that she first met Mr. Weinstein at a movie premiere in London for “The Aviator” in 2004. At the time, she was a young production assistant, born in Finland and raised in Sweden. Mr. Weinstein was — and had been for a decade — a Hollywood producer who had reshaped the independent film industry with Oscar-winning films like “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” |
| Two years later, when the man she was working for fell ill, Ms. Haleyi found herself in need of a new job. She ran into Mr. Weinstein at the Cannes Film Festival in France, she said, and asked him if there were any opportunities at the Weinstein Company, his production firm in New York City. | Two years later, when the man she was working for fell ill, Ms. Haleyi found herself in need of a new job. She ran into Mr. Weinstein at the Cannes Film Festival in France, she said, and asked him if there were any opportunities at the Weinstein Company, his production firm in New York City. |
| They met at his temporary office in the Majestic hotel in Cannes, Ms. Haleyi said, where Mr. Weinstein suggested that she could help him out on one of his new ventures, the reality-television show “Project Runway.” From the start, she testified, the producer tried to sexualize what she believed was a professional relationship. He made remarks about her legs, she said, and asked her to give him a massage. | They met at his temporary office in the Majestic hotel in Cannes, Ms. Haleyi said, where Mr. Weinstein suggested that she could help him out on one of his new ventures, the reality-television show “Project Runway.” From the start, she testified, the producer tried to sexualize what she believed was a professional relationship. He made remarks about her legs, she said, and asked her to give him a massage. |
| “I had been so excited to go and see him, and then he had treated me that way,” Ms. Haleyi said. Leaving the hotel, she recalled, she felt “extremely humiliated” and almost instantly broke into tears. | “I had been so excited to go and see him, and then he had treated me that way,” Ms. Haleyi said. Leaving the hotel, she recalled, she felt “extremely humiliated” and almost instantly broke into tears. |
| But even though she turned Mr. Weinstein down in France, Ms. Haleyi said, he ultimately got her a position at “Project Runway,” doing menial administrative tasks. While she testified that Mr. Weinstein was sometimes “respectful, even charming” with her, she also said that his sexual advances continued. | But even though she turned Mr. Weinstein down in France, Ms. Haleyi said, he ultimately got her a position at “Project Runway,” doing menial administrative tasks. While she testified that Mr. Weinstein was sometimes “respectful, even charming” with her, she also said that his sexual advances continued. |
| Once, Ms. Haleyi said, Mr. Weinstein drove her home to her apartment in the East Village and asked if he could come inside and join her. When she told him no, he invited her on the spot to fly with him to Paris on a private jet for a fashion show, she said. | Once, Ms. Haleyi said, Mr. Weinstein drove her home to her apartment in the East Village and asked if he could come inside and join her. When she told him no, he invited her on the spot to fly with him to Paris on a private jet for a fashion show, she said. |
| Somewhat later, Ms. Haleyi testified, Mr. Weinstein showed up again at her apartment. This time, he barged in and repeated his request that she go with him to Paris. When he refused to take no for an answer, she said, she finally told him — “to shut it down” — that she had heard he had “a terrible reputation with women.” Ms. Haleyi said he got “defensive” and left. | Somewhat later, Ms. Haleyi testified, Mr. Weinstein showed up again at her apartment. This time, he barged in and repeated his request that she go with him to Paris. When he refused to take no for an answer, she said, she finally told him — “to shut it down” — that she had heard he had “a terrible reputation with women.” Ms. Haleyi said he got “defensive” and left. |
| After all of this, however, Ms. Haleyi accepted another invitation to go with Mr. Weinstein to a film premier in Los Angeles. She said she agreed to the trip because she would be traveling alone and because one of her friends in California was about to give birth to a child. | After all of this, however, Ms. Haleyi accepted another invitation to go with Mr. Weinstein to a film premier in Los Angeles. She said she agreed to the trip because she would be traveling alone and because one of her friends in California was about to give birth to a child. |
| On July 11, 2006 — the day The Weinstein Company paid for her ticket — Mr. Weinstein invited Ms. Haleyi to visit him at his apartment in SoHo. When she got there, she recalled, everything seemed normal. Mr. Weinstein offered her a drink, she said, and they sat down on his sofa — she on one side, he on the other. The television set was on. | On July 11, 2006 — the day The Weinstein Company paid for her ticket — Mr. Weinstein invited Ms. Haleyi to visit him at his apartment in SoHo. When she got there, she recalled, everything seemed normal. Mr. Weinstein offered her a drink, she said, and they sat down on his sofa — she on one side, he on the other. The television set was on. |
| Then, she said, Mr. Weinstein lunged at her and tried to kiss her. | Then, she said, Mr. Weinstein lunged at her and tried to kiss her. |
| “I pushed him away and he kept kissing and fondling me,” Ms. Haleyi told the jury. “I got up and tried to walk away and he pulled me toward him.” | “I pushed him away and he kept kissing and fondling me,” Ms. Haleyi told the jury. “I got up and tried to walk away and he pulled me toward him.” |
| Mr. Weinstein backed her into a bedroom, she said, where she fell “backward onto the bed.” She recalled seeing children’s drawings on the wall and all the while, she testified, she was telling the producer, “No, no, no, I don’t want this to happen. I’m on my period.” | Mr. Weinstein backed her into a bedroom, she said, where she fell “backward onto the bed.” She recalled seeing children’s drawings on the wall and all the while, she testified, she was telling the producer, “No, no, no, I don’t want this to happen. I’m on my period.” |
| But every time she tried to stand, Ms. Haleyi said, Mr. Weinstein pushed her down, held her by the wrists and lay his weight on top of her. | But every time she tried to stand, Ms. Haleyi said, Mr. Weinstein pushed her down, held her by the wrists and lay his weight on top of her. |
| It was then, she told the jury, that Mr. Weinstein pulled the tampon from her body and put his mouth on her vagina. “I was just crying out,” Ms. Haleyi said. “I was telling him, ‘No, no, no, don’t do that.’ It was as if he didn’t believe me.” | It was then, she told the jury, that Mr. Weinstein pulled the tampon from her body and put his mouth on her vagina. “I was just crying out,” Ms. Haleyi said. “I was telling him, ‘No, no, no, don’t do that.’ It was as if he didn’t believe me.” |
| Afterward, Ms. Haleyi said, she walked alone back to her apartment in the East Village. | Afterward, Ms. Haleyi said, she walked alone back to her apartment in the East Village. |
| Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers maintain that Ms. Haleyi and the producer had a consensual relationship for years. He gave her tickets to movie premieres when she asked for them and paid for her to fly to London shortly after the alleged assault. | Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers maintain that Ms. Haleyi and the producer had a consensual relationship for years. He gave her tickets to movie premieres when she asked for them and paid for her to fly to London shortly after the alleged assault. |
| Two months later, when she learned that Mr. Weinstein was in London, she wrote, “I tried to change my flight to get there to see you,” Mr. Cheronis said in his opening statement. | Two months later, when she learned that Mr. Weinstein was in London, she wrote, “I tried to change my flight to get there to see you,” Mr. Cheronis said in his opening statement. |
| A year after the alleged assault, Ms. Haleyi pitched Mr. Weinstein a television show, Mr. Cheronis said. | A year after the alleged assault, Ms. Haleyi pitched Mr. Weinstein a television show, Mr. Cheronis said. |
| “Harvey tried to help her, and she sends him a very nice email talking about how he’s always supported her,” Mr. Cheronis said. “That is what really happened.” | “Harvey tried to help her, and she sends him a very nice email talking about how he’s always supported her,” Mr. Cheronis said. “That is what really happened.” |