Trial Testimony Against Harvey Weinstein

In a Manhattan courtroom, former producer Harvey Weinstein was accused by actress Jessica Mann of coercing her into a traumatic threesome with an actress from Italy, followed by an attempted rape.

Now 40, Mann became visibly emotional as she recounted in detail how Weinstein, who weighed around 300 pounds at the time, allegedly pinned her to a bed during an assault in a Midtown hotel on March 18, 2013. She described her struggle, saying, “I kept saying ‘no’ and trying to walk away,” while demonstrating how he restrained her during the attack.

She stated, “He just treated me like I was his property,” highlighting the mental and emotional impact of the experience.

Mann said that Weinstein raped her again later that same year, and she became unconscious during the assault due to his weight.

Weinstein, who appeared in court in a wheelchair and disheveled suit, was previously convicted of raping Mann in 2020. However, the state High Court later overturned that ruling, leading to this second trial, which has already seen a jury unable to reach a decision.

During her testimony on the second day of this trial, Mann described meeting Weinstein in Los Angeles when she was just starting her acting journey at 27. She recalled how he quickly transitioned from praising her talent to seeking a working relationship.

She mentioned a particularly distressing incident when Weinstein attempted to orchestrate a threesome with Emanuela Postacchini, asserting that she felt overwhelmed enough to escape to the bathroom and cry. Mann described their dynamic as complex, admitting to a consensual relationship with him at one point, although she noted that his influence in Hollywood significantly affected her decision to engage with him.

Mann reflected on the characteristics that allowed Weinstein to gain and wield such power, saying, “Harvey told me so many stories about how powerful he was and the things he did.” She emphasized the chasm between his public persona and the reality of their interactions.

She also shared how Weinstein claimed to have an “open relationship” with his then-wife, Georgina Chapman, and recalled a moment when he dismissed her concerns about their affair with laughter.

Mann expressed discomfort with Weinstein’s connections to influential people, including former President Bill Clinton, noting, “He was always throwing out everyone’s names.” This, she said, underscored that her relationship with him was far from ordinary.

This is Mann’s third time testifying against Weinstein. Previously, he had been found guilty of multiple sexual offenses, including forcing a former production assistant to perform oral sex.

During a prior trial, Mann pointedly directed her gaze at Weinstein, reminding him to face her as she testified. A jury had convicted Weinstein of some charges, but could not arrive at a decision regarding the latter allegations involving Mann.

In her latest testimony, Mann recounted another incident in late 2013 when she claimed Weinstein raped her after she believed she had found genuine love in her life. She shared that she had lost consciousness during the assault.

Mann acknowledged that despite the allegations against him, she had once considered Weinstein a “genius” and even remarked that he told her she was “more beautiful than Natalie Portman.” “There’s something I really like about Harvey,” she admitted, as Weinstein looked toward the jury with a slight smile.

Weinstein maintains his innocence and faces a potential sentence of up to 25 years if convicted of the charges involving the former production assistant. He has already been sentenced to 16 years in prison for rape in California.

Mann is set to continue her testimony in Manhattan on Wednesday.