One of Harvey Weinstein’s accusers plans to testify in court again

One of Harvey Weinstein’s main accusers announced this Friday that she plans to testify again in court in the former Hollywood star’s new trial, including one of his just-overturned convictions for rape and sexual assault.

The New York Court of Appeals decision “made me sick,” said Mimi Haley, a key figure in the 2020 trial that resulted in Harvey Weinstein receiving a 23-year prison sentence.

“We live in fear”

During her testimony, this former production assistant described how the producer pinned her to a bed, then removed a tampon and performed cunnilingus on her, despite her repeated refusals. A complicated story that she may have to repeat if she gets a new trial.

“I certainly don’t want to relive it, but to continue and do what’s right (…) I would think about it,” Mimi Haley explained during a press conference. This choice is far from easy, she emphasized. “People really don’t know what I’ve been through and what other women have gone through,” she argued. “It’s tiring, it’s hard. (…) We live in fear for years (…) and then we are persecuted. “. “I need to think about it,” she admitted.

“Decisive moment”

But the overturning of Harvey Weinstein’s conviction “is a defining moment in history,” she said. “We must continue to move forward and defend the truth. » Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers always believed that the producer did not have the right to a fair trial in New York: the charges were based only on two alleged victims, but several other women testified without being directly involved in the charges.

The appeals court agreed with them on Thursday, finding that the testimony was “erroneously admitted.” “The solution to these shocking errors will be a new trial,” the appeal judges said. The decision is a major setback for the #MeToo movement, which exploded in 2017, freeing dozens of women to speak out against Harvey Weinstein.

If there is a new trial, the producer should be re-sentenced, Ms. Haley said. “The truth doesn’t change,” she insisted. “The evidence is still there, so I don’t see why it would lead to a different result. »

Harvey Weinstein still remains behind bars, as during his second trial in Los Angeles he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Since 2017, dozens of women, including Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow, have accused him of harassment, sexual assault or rape. But in many cases, the statute of limitations has passed.