Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer accused Jennifer Siebel Newsom of lying about being raped by the Hollywood producer.
According to the lawyers, she can’t “square away” the fact she had “transactional” sex with the former movie mogul, his lawyers charged on Thursday, 1 December.
“She may regret the transactional sex but regret is far from rape,” Jackson told jurors.
“She made a decision to have a relationship with Harvey and she benefited from it. … That’s the definition of transactional sex and she hates it.”
Siebel Newsom testified two weeks ago Weinstein lured her to his hotel room under the guise they would be discussing a movie role. She said she agreed because at the time, Weinstein could “make or ruin your career.”
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker and the wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, nearly screamed through tears from the witness stand Monday when she told the court Harvey Weinstein raped her in a hotel room and spoke of the devastating effect it had on her in the 17 years since.
“He knows this is not normal!” she shouted during the Los Angeles trial, recalling her thoughts amid the alleged 2005 rape. “He knows this is not consent!”
She then shouted “Oh God!” as if overcome by the memory, and gave in to the crying. Weinstein watched from the defense table.
Siebel Newsom said she found herself unexpectedly alone with Weinstein in a suite at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, where she had agreed to join him for a meeting.
She said she assumed others would be present and they would talk about her career.
When he emerged from the bathroom in a robe with nothing underneath and began groping her while he masturbated, she described her feelings.
“Horror! Horror!” she said. “I’m trembling. I’m like a rock, I’m frigid. This is my worst nightmare. I’m just this blow-up doll!”
She then gave a graphic description of a sexual assault and rape by Weinstein in the suite’s bedroom.
Weinstein’s lawyers, who only got to cross-examine her briefly and will continue on Tuesday, say the two had consensual sex and that she was seeking to use the powerful producer to advance her career.
Weinstein is already serving a 23-year sentence for a rape conviction in New York, and has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of rape and sexual assault in California involving five women.
Siebel Newsom is the fourth woman Weinstein is accused of sexually assaulting who has taken the stand in Los Angeles.
Her testimony was the most dramatic and emotional so far in the three-week trial.