Friday 21 Lifestyle | Music & Movies Friday, January 24, 2020

arvey Weinstein was a “seasoned” sexual Hundreds of emails Hpredator and rapist who abused his Weinstein’s attorney Cheronis said the jurors power as a movie-producing titan to prey would see hundreds of emails and other corre- on vulnerable aspiring actresses, prosecutors spondence showing Mann and his client were “in said Wednesday as his trial heard from its first a loving relationship.” A year after the alleged witness. Weinstein, wearing a dark suit, shook assault, Mann wrote “Miss you big guy!” in one his head as New York Assistant District Attorney email, and another which said “Thank you for Meghan Hast painted a picture of a 300-pound your unfailing support and kindness,” Cheronis (140 kilogram) bully who violently raped, humil- said. In February 2017, she wrote to Weinstein: iated and manipulated several women, leaving “I love you, I always do. But I hate feeling like a them traumatized for years. His defense team hit booty call,” Cheronis told the court. back by saying the fallen film producer engaged “Members of the jury, that is not how you talk in consensual relationships with his accusers, in- about predators, that is not how you talk about cluding a “loving one” in which the woman called your abusers,” he said. Cheronis argued that Weinstein “her casual boyfriend.” Weinstein’s accusers changed their attitude to- That woman, who says Weinstein raped her wards him as the #MeToo movement gathered in a New York hotel room in 2013, was identified steam in 2017. “We will show that the truth has for the first time in court as actress Jessica Mann, changed since 2013 and the truth can’t change. having until now remained anonymous. “It will There is only one truth,” he said. be clear throughout this trial that the defendant knew he was preying on the naive and the de- Ignited #MeToo movement fenseless,” Hast told the court, saying many of The prosecution’s first witness, former Wein- his victims came from broken homes. “They stein Company board member Lance Maerov, didn’t know they were being lured in on false Harvey Weinstein arrives at a Manhattan court house for the first day of opening statements at his testified that the defendant regularly bragged pretenses. They thought they had got their big trial in New York City.— AFP about his powerful connections, including to the break. He was the old lady in the gingerbread Clintons. Weinstein muttered inaudibly as house luring the kids.” Maerov-an executive with communications Defense attorney Damon Cheronis coun- passed out on the floor,” the prosecutor told a Haleyi and Mann in the New York proceedings giant WPP-said the movie mogul’s charming tered that it was “untrue” and “quite the con- packed courtroom with more than 100 journal- seen as key to the #MeToo movement. The trial, public persona was “diametrically opposed” to trary” to call the “Pulp Fiction” producer a ists in attendance. expected to run until March 6, will also hear ev- who he was in private. “You don’t like Mr Wein- predator. Wednesday’s hearing started with idence from Sciorra and three other accusers stein, do you?” said lead defense attorney Accusers named Judge James Burke reminding the 12-member who were named for the first time in court Donna Rotuno during a brief cross-examination. jury and six alternates that they must base their The attorney likewise said Weinstein left for- Wednesday. They are Dawn Dunning, Lauren “Not particularly,” replied Maerov. verdict on evidence heard in court and not dis- mer production assistant Mimi Haleyi lying “mo- Young and Tarale Wulff, whose allegations were More than 80 women have accused Wein- cuss the trial with anyone outside. Hast then tionless like a dead fish” after assaulting her in previously unknown. stein of sexual misconduct but many of the al- laid out the prosecution’s case in a lengthy his New York apartment in July 2006. And Hast Young will allege that Weinstein raped her in leged crimes fall outside the timeframe for statement that included graphic descriptions of accused Weinstein of treating Mann like a “rag 2013. Dunning says Weinstein grabbed her bringing charges. Arriving at court, Weinstein sexual assaults. doll” after raping her in her hotel room in March vagina in 2004 and Wulff will testify that the de- made his way unsteadily up a few steps but She said Weinstein raped “The Sopranos” 2013. Before that alleged assault, the court fendant masturbated in front of her. They will without the walking frame he has used for re- actress Annabella Sciorra in the winter of 1993- heard, Weinstein injected his penis with erection take the stand as the prosecution tries to con- cent proceedings. The trial continues on 94 after a pursuit which included him introduc- medication. vince the seven men and five women on the jury Thursday. — AFP ing her to the drug valium. “He left her Weinstein, 67, faces life in prison if convicted that Weinstein engaged in a pattern of predatory emotionally and physically destroyed and of predatory sexual assault charges related to sexual behavior.

“step up” to gain more recognition for their work-said Dugan’s filing “is filled with inaccu- rate, false and outrageous and terribly hurtful claims against me.” “The allegations of rape are ctor Cuba Gooding Jr will stand trial April guilty to six charges against him, with the ludicrous, and untrue. The suggestion that there 21 on charges he groped three women, a three main ones each carrying the potential was [a rape] is disseminating a lie,” read Port- A now’s statement, published in full on Rolling judge ruled Wednesday, in the latest for one year in prison. Judge Curtis Farber of #MeToo case to reach the courts. The 52 year the New York Supreme Court also ruled on Stone’s website. old actor is accused of inappropriately touching Wednesday that the prosecution could call He also denied demanding a $750,000 one of the women in a restaurant in Manhattan two other women as witnesses during the consulting fee to stay on as a consultant, which in September 2018. He is also accused of pinch- trial. They claim they are also victims of he former CEO of the embattled Record- Dugan alleges was a proposal up before the ing a second woman’s buttocks at a nightclub Gooding, though their accusations are not the Ting Academy, the institution behind the Academy’s board. Dugan’s filing dealt a major the next month and of grabbing another subjects of criminal proceedings. Grammys, on Wednesday rejected as “lu- blow to the Recording Academy less than a woman’s breast without her consent at a New Farber, however, ruled against allowing 17 dicrous and untrue” his ousted successor’s al- week before the Grammys-music’s biggest York bar in June 2019. other women whom Manhattan prosecutor legations that he raped an unnamed foreign night of the year. Major nominees this time out Gooding, who won the Oscar for best sup- Cyrus Vance had also wanted to call to testify in female musician. Neil Portnow’s denial comes include Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X. —AFP porting actor in 1997 for the American foot- order to avoid “undue prejudice” against Good- one day after Deborah Dugan filed an explosive ball movie “Jerry Maguire,” has pleaded not ing. The actor is also known for the 1991 film discrimination complaint against the Academy, “Boyz n the Hood” and for playing OJ Simpson which included the rape allegation, days after in the 2016 miniseries “American Crime Story.” she was put on leave-and just before Sunday’s Grammy awards. Dugan’s bombshell 44-page Gooding’s trial will mark the third high-profile filing with the Equal Employment Opportunity case to come out of the #MeToo movement to Commission in Los Angeles claims she was sus- move to the courts this year, in addition to film pended after raising concerns of sexual harass- mogul Harvey Weinstein’s ongoing trial in New ment, voting irregularities and other York and R&B star R. Kelly’s trial in Chicago, misconduct within one of music’s most powerful which is also set for April. — AFP organizations. Portnow-who stepped down as CEO after US actor Cuba Gooding Jr arrives 17 years at the helm, amid outrage over his con- In this file photo The Recording Academy Presi- at the Manhattan Criminal Court troversial comments that women artists should dent Neil Portnow speaks onstage during the 61st in New York City.—AFP Annual Grammy Awards. — AFP