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| Weinstein Trial: ‘I Was Being Raped,’ Recalls ‘Project Runway’ Assistant | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| It started after they went to his apartment. There, she told a jury, alone with him in his Manhattan loft, her boss, Harvey Weinstein, lunged at her on a sofa. | It started after they went to his apartment. There, she told a jury, alone with him in his 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, Miriam Haley 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, Miriam Haley 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 was being raped,” Ms. Haley said, adding, “I was in so much shock at the time that I just checked out.” | |
| In recounting the alleged assault in July 2006, Ms. Haley became the second accuser to take the stand against Mr. Weinstein at the trial in Lower Manhattan. She recently legally changed her name from Mimi Haleyi. | In recounting the alleged assault in July 2006, Ms. Haley became the second accuser to take the stand against Mr. Weinstein at the trial in Lower Manhattan. She recently legally changed her name from Mimi Haleyi. |
| 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 not been charged with raping Ms. Haley, but instead faces counts of criminal sexual act and predatory sexual assault. | 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 not been charged with raping Ms. Haley, but instead faces counts of criminal sexual act and predatory sexual assault. |
| He is accused of a total of five felony counts, including rape and predatory sexual assault, for his alleged behavior toward another woman, Jessica Mann, in 2013. He could get life in prison if convicted of the last charge. | He is accused of a total of five felony counts, including rape and predatory sexual assault, for his alleged behavior toward another woman, Jessica Mann, in 2013. He could get life in prison if convicted of the last charge. |
| The trial 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 and imposing physicality to coerce women into sexual encounters. | The trial 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 and imposing physicality to coerce women into sexual encounters. |
| The criminal charges are based solely on allegations from Ms. Haley and Ms. Mann. The judge is allowing the four other women to testify to establish a pattern of behavior, even though most of their allegations are too old to prosecute. | The criminal charges are based solely on allegations from Ms. Haley and Ms. Mann. The judge is allowing the four other women to testify to establish a pattern of behavior, even though most of their allegations are too old to prosecute. |
| Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers maintain that the producer’s relationships with Ms. Haley, 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. Haley, 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 opening statements. | “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 opening statements. |
| On the witness stand on Monday, Ms. Haley testified that after the alleged assault, she began using the last name to Haley to avoid being easily found on Google. | On the witness stand on Monday, Ms. Haley testified that after the alleged assault, she began using the last name to Haley to avoid being easily found on Google. |
| She first met Mr. Weinstein, she said, at a movie premiere in London in 2004. At the time, she was a young production assistant, raised in Sweden. Mr. Weinstein was a Hollywood producer who had reshaped the independent film industry with Oscar-winning films like “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” | She first met Mr. Weinstein, she said, at a movie premiere in London in 2004. At the time, she was a young production assistant, raised in Sweden. Mr. Weinstein was a Hollywood producer who had reshaped the independent film industry with Oscar-winning films like “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” |
| Two years later, Ms. Haley 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. | Two years later, Ms. Haley 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. |
| They met at the Majestic Hotel in Cannes, Ms. Haley said, where Mr. Weinstein suggested that she could help 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 the Majestic Hotel in Cannes, Ms. Haley said, where Mr. Weinstein suggested that she could help 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. Haley said. Leaving the hotel, she recalled, she felt “humiliated” and broke into tears. | “I had been so excited to go and see him, and then he had treated me that way,” Ms. Haley said. Leaving the hotel, she recalled, she felt “humiliated” and broke into tears. |
| But even though she rejected Mr. Weinstein in France, Ms. Haley said, he ultimately got her a post at “Project Runway.” While she testified that he was sometimes “respectful, even charming” with her, she also said that his sexual advances continued. | But even though she rejected Mr. Weinstein in France, Ms. Haley said, he ultimately got her a post at “Project Runway.” While she testified that he was sometimes “respectful, even charming” with her, she also said that his sexual advances continued. |
| Once, Ms. Haley said, Mr. Weinstein drove her to her apartment in the East Village and asked if he could come inside. When she told him no, he invited her to fly with him to Paris for a fashion show, she said. | Once, Ms. Haley said, Mr. Weinstein drove her to her apartment in the East Village and asked if he could come inside. When she told him no, he invited her to fly with him to Paris for a fashion show, she said. |
| Somewhat later, Ms. Haley testified, Mr. Weinstein showed up again at her apartment, barging in and repeating his request that she go with him to Paris. When she refused to accept his invitation, Ms. Haley said, she told him that she had heard he had “a terrible reputation with women.” Ms. Haley added that he got “defensive” and left. | Somewhat later, Ms. Haley testified, Mr. Weinstein showed up again at her apartment, barging in and repeating his request that she go with him to Paris. When she refused to accept his invitation, Ms. Haley said, she told him that she had heard he had “a terrible reputation with women.” Ms. Haley added that he got “defensive” and left. |
| After all of this, however, Ms. Haley agreed to go with Mr. Weinstein to a film premiere in Los Angeles. She said she did so because she would be traveling alone and because one of her friends in California was about to give birth. | After all of this, however, Ms. Haley agreed to go with Mr. Weinstein to a film premiere in Los Angeles. She said she did so because she would be traveling alone and because one of her friends in California was about to give birth. |
| On July 11, 2006 — the day he paid for her ticket — Mr. Weinstein invited Ms. Haley to visit him at his apartment in Lower Manhattan. When she got there, she recalled, he offered her a drink and they sat on his sofa. | On July 11, 2006 — the day he paid for her ticket — Mr. Weinstein invited Ms. Haley to visit him at his apartment in Lower Manhattan. When she got there, she recalled, he offered her a drink and they sat on his sofa. |
| Then, she said, Mr. Weinstein lunged at her. | Then, she said, Mr. Weinstein lunged at her. |
| “I pushed him away, and he kept kissing and fondling me,” Ms. Haley 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. Haley 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.” All the while, she testified, she was telling the producer: “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.” All the while, she testified, she was telling the producer: “I don’t want this to happen. I’m on my period.” |
| It was then, she told the jury, that Mr. Weinstein yanked the tampon from her body and put his mouth on her genitals. “I was telling him, ‘No, no, no, don’t do that,’” Ms. Haley said. “It was as if he didn’t believe me.” | It was then, she told the jury, that Mr. Weinstein yanked the tampon from her body and put his mouth on her genitals. “I was telling him, ‘No, no, no, don’t do that,’” Ms. Haley said. “It was as if he didn’t believe me.” |
| Afterward, Ms. Haley said, she walked alone to her apartment. She never reported the assault to the police. | Afterward, Ms. Haley said, she walked alone to her apartment. She never reported the assault to the police. |
| Two weeks later, Ms. Haley said, Mr. Weinstein was “persistent” that she meet with him again, and she went to see him at the TriBeCa Grand Hotel. When she entered his room, she said, the producer pulled her toward the bed. Though she was sobbing, Ms. Haley said, she had sex with him. | Two weeks later, Ms. Haley said, Mr. Weinstein was “persistent” that she meet with him again, and she went to see him at the TriBeCa Grand Hotel. When she entered his room, she said, the producer pulled her toward the bed. Though she was sobbing, Ms. Haley said, she had sex with him. |
| “I felt like an idiot and I felt numb,” she said. | “I felt like an idiot and I felt numb,” she said. |
| Ms. Haley said she later tried to maintain “a professional connection” with Mr. Weinstein. She passed scripts to him from friends, she said, and once, while in London, she pitched him on her own idea for a project. | Ms. Haley said she later tried to maintain “a professional connection” with Mr. Weinstein. She passed scripts to him from friends, she said, and once, while in London, she pitched him on her own idea for a project. |
| Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that Ms. Haley and Mr. Weinstein had a consensual relationship for years. He gave her tickets to movie premieres, the lawyers said, and paid for her to fly to London shortly after the alleged second assault. | Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that Ms. Haley and Mr. Weinstein had a consensual relationship for years. He gave her tickets to movie premieres, the lawyers said, and paid for her to fly to London shortly after the alleged second assault. |
| On cross-examination on Monday, Mr. Cheronis showed the jury emails Ms. Haley wrote to the producer that seemed to suggest an amicable relationship. | On cross-examination on Monday, Mr. Cheronis showed the jury emails Ms. Haley wrote to the producer that seemed to suggest an amicable relationship. |
| In an email from June 2008, Ms. Haley wrote: “Hi Harvey, how are you? Great to see you.” It ended, “Lots of Love Miriam.” | In an email from June 2008, Ms. Haley wrote: “Hi Harvey, how are you? Great to see you.” It ended, “Lots of Love Miriam.” |
| In another email from February 2009, Ms. Haley asked Mr. Weinstein if he had any “leads” on jobs. This email ended: “Hope you’re super well.” | In another email from February 2009, Ms. Haley asked Mr. Weinstein if he had any “leads” on jobs. This email ended: “Hope you’re super well.” |
| Ms. Haley acknowledged on cross-examination that even after her second sexual encounter with Mr. Weinstein, she did not stop seeing him. In fact, as Mr. Cheronis noted, for three days after their meeting at the hotel in TriBeCa, she drew hearts in her planner. | Ms. Haley acknowledged on cross-examination that even after her second sexual encounter with Mr. Weinstein, she did not stop seeing him. In fact, as Mr. Cheronis noted, for three days after their meeting at the hotel in TriBeCa, she drew hearts in her planner. |
| Mr. Cheronis asked if that was reflective of her mood. | Mr. Cheronis asked if that was reflective of her mood. |
| “It may have been,” she said. | “It may have been,” she said. |