NEW YORK (AP) — A woman accusing Harvey Weinstein of rape returned to the witness stand Friday to continue her testimony, one day after expressing difficulty concentrating due to emotional stress.
Jessica Mann faced additional cross-examination from defense attorneys representing the former Hollywood producer, who focused their questioning on her messages and meetings with him following the alleged sexual assault in March 2013.
“I’m not doing too good right now, so I’m really trying to remember,” Mann told the court. She later added: “I feel like I said a lot, and I’m trying to get through this.”
Despite her emotional state, Mann answered questions for several hours, though she appeared tired at times and occasionally requested that questions be restated.
The 40-year-old accuser and 73-year-old Weinstein are now participating in their third trial regarding her allegations that he sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan hotel room. Defense attorneys maintain that all interactions between the pair were consensual and occurred within a four-year romantic relationship.
Weinstein received a conviction in 2020, but an appellate court reversed the decision. A subsequent retrial ended without resolution last year when jurors halted deliberations on the rape charge after the jury foreperson refused to continue participating. This situation necessitated the current proceedings.
The former film executive enjoyed significant success in Hollywood before accusations against him sparked the #MeToo movement addressing sexual misconduct in 2017. Weinstein has stated he “acted wrongly, but I never assaulted anyone.”
Mann and Weinstein first encountered each other in early 2013, when he held a studio executive position and she was a 27-year-old hairstylist and aspiring actress seeking to advance her film career. According to her testimony, he began pursuing her romantically shortly after their introduction, and despite feeling uncomfortable, she chose to enter into a relationship with the married producer.
She claims that several weeks into their acquaintance, he cornered her in a midtown Manhattan hotel room, angrily demanded she remove her clothing while standing over her, disregarded her objections, and sexually assaulted her.
Their association persisted intermittently for years following the alleged incident. Mann testified that she had feelings for “a part of him” and “always tried to see the good in him,” while also being cautious about opposing a powerful, well-connected individual who demonstrated his influence. She recalled him claiming that his “enemies don’t step a foot in this town.”
During Friday’s proceedings, defense attorney Teny Geragos presented Mann with numerous cordial and complimentary messages she had sent to or about Weinstein throughout their relationship. One text from May 2013 showed her telling a friend that “I like the Harvey we know. I feel some sense of protection.”
Mann explained to jurors that Weinstein assisted her in understanding the film industry and “there was a time when I felt he did protect me.”
The Associated Press maintains a policy of not identifying individuals who report sexual assault unless they consent to being named publicly, which Mann has agreed to do.
