NEW YORK – Defense attorneys for Harvey Weinstein called on jurors Tuesday to dismiss rape allegations against the disgraced movie mogul, marking the conclusion of his third trial on the same charges stemming from the #MeToo movement.
Attorney Marc Agnifilo told the jury during closing arguments that the accusations are fabricated, stating “It’s just not true” regarding claims that Weinstein sexually assaulted actress and hairstylist Jessica Mann at a Manhattan hotel in 2013. “She has taken on a false narrative about all of this,” Agnifilo argued.
Prosecutors are scheduled to present their final arguments Tuesday afternoon before the jury begins deliberations in the complex case involving a multi-year relationship between Weinstein and Mann.
According to testimony, the two first crossed paths in early 2013 when Mann was pursuing her Hollywood dreams. She told the court she expected a business relationship but was surprised when Weinstein made romantic overtures, though she ultimately chose to continue seeing the then-married, Academy Award-winning producer.
Mann testified that weeks into their relationship, Weinstein unexpectedly appeared at a hotel where she and a companion were staying. She said when she went to his room to decline his sexual advances, he physically restrained her, forced her to remove her clothing, briefly left for the bathroom, and then sexually assaulted her.
“He just treated me like he owned me,” Mann stated during her testimony last month.
While Weinstein chose not to take the witness stand, his legal team maintains the encounter was mutual and occurred within a loving relationship that Mann actively maintained until Weinstein’s public disgrace in 2017. That year, media reports about accusations against him sparked the worldwide #MeToo movement addressing sexual misconduct. Weinstein has acknowledged inappropriate behavior but denies any criminal conduct.
The producer was initially found guilty of raping Mann in 2020, but that verdict was later reversed on appeal. A subsequent retrial in the previous year ended without a verdict when jurors could not reach agreement.
During Tuesday’s closing statements, Agnifilo questioned the credibility and logic of Mann’s testimony, highlighting friendly email communications and social meetings between the pair both before and after the alleged assault.
“Throughout the four years, she is going to Harvey Weinstein for things that she needs, and Harvey Weinstein is doing the best that he can,” Agnifilo told jurors, describing how Weinstein helped advance Mann’s career aspirations and provided personal support. “They are emotionally close. She relies on him. He is a very important person in her life, and she lets him know that.”
Regardless of this trial’s result, the former entertainment executive will remain behind bars due to separate sexual offense convictions in New York and California, though he continues to challenge those verdicts through appeals.
The Associated Press typically does not name individuals who report sexual assault unless they choose to be publicly identified, as Mann has elected to do.
