Harvey Weinstein, formerly a prominent figure in Hollywood, has opted to not testify during his current retrial in New York City on sexual assault charges. His attorney, Arthur Aidala, confirmed the decision not to have Weinstein take the stand, as reported by CBS News New York. This retrial, which began on April 23, includes serious allegations from three women. Weinstein, at age 73, maintains his plea of not guilty to the charges of rape and sexual assault. Closing arguments are slated to start tomorrow, with jury deliberation to follow.
The decision appeared significant, as Weinstein—who has never taken the stand to address the allegations against him—again opted to rely on his legal team’s strategy. In previous trials in both New York and California, he also declined to testify, a pattern that continues, according to statements from his attorney reported by The Guardian. The defense concluded its case without Weinstein’s testimony, and closing arguments are set to begin, with jury deliberations expected to start either tomorrow afternoon or Wednesday.
Throughout this retrial, testimonies have been presented by Miriam Haley, Jessica Mann, and Kaja Sokola, who have each recounted explicit and distressing encounters with Weinstein. He is accused of leveraging his influence in the industry to lure these women into private environments, where he allegedly assaulted them. Weinstein's legal counsel argues that any interactions with the accusers were consensual, as these narratives emerged in the courtroom.
The defense has introduced witnesses to counter the prosecutor's case, including Talita Maia's testimony from the 2020 trial, which was delivered this time around via readings by court employees. Maia had testified previously regarding her friendship and living situation with Mann, noting Mann had never indicated that Weinstein had harmed her. Similarly, Thomas Richards—who met with Mann and Weinstein on the same day of the alleged assault—recalled only "friendly conversation" between the two, an observation disclosed in an interview with The Guardian.
In 2020, Weinstein was convicted on multiple charges, but the conviction was overturned last year by New York’s highest court. The retrial revisits allegations from Haley and Mann and introduces a new criminal sex act charge based on claims by Sokola.
