Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Trial Just Completed A Crucial Step
The Harvey Weinstein sexual assault trial is going to jury selection.
This article is more than 2 years old
It’s been a big few weeks for trials against Hollywood heavyweights who have been accused of sexual misconduct. From the recent court decision regarding Anthony Rapp and his allegations against Kevin Spacey to the beginning days of what’s sure to be a long and brutal trial between That ‘70s Show star Danny Masterson and the multitude of women stepping forward to make their claims, it seems like Fall 2022 is the season for sexual assault court cases. And now, after five years with allegations out in the open and four years since his initial arrest, Harvey Weinstein’s trial will finally begin on Monday following the incredibly important step forward of a jury selection.
The trial will take place in Los Angeles where both the defense and the prosecution are working hard and against the clock to find their remaining 10 alternate jurors for Harvey Weinstein’s trial. Having already been given the punishment of a 23-year prison sentence following his 2020 trial in New York, the one-time film bigwig is now facing an entirely new set of allegations that include four counts of rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, one count of sexual penetration by use of force, along with one count of sexual battery by restraint and sexual battery in incidents involving five women in L.A. County over almost a decade. With the charges stacked against him, Weinstein and all those involved are surely in for a lengthy proceeding.
Sending the message that he doesn’t plan on accepting his charges, Harvey Weinstein has already appealed the outcome of his New York 2020 trial that saw him convicted of rape and sexual assault. As for the upcoming Los Angeles proceedings, Weinstein has drummed up the legal help of Alan Jackson and Mark Werksman to represent him, while the prosecution is made up of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys, Marlene Martinez, and Paul Thompson. With the trial looming in the approaching week, it’s no doubt that both sides of the case are anxiously preparing and pouring over their arguments.
Outside of Harvey Weinstein’s trial, it’s been a long year for celebrities taking the stand. Back in the spring and early summer, it was impossible to avoid running into headlines surrounding the trial of ex-spouses Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in a lawsuit that would eventually see the latter owing her ex a hefty sum of money.
Although it’s just kicked off, the widely talked about courtroom battle against Danny Masterson has drawn in viewers from around the world as not only is the actor being put on the stand against multiple claims of sexual assault, but his religion, Scientology, has also been making headlines because of his alleged crimes.
Finally, the very intense and upsetting allegations made against Kevin Spacey by fellow actor Anthony Rapp have been settled in Spacey’s favor. The Rent star alleged that the House of Cards actor made sexual advances on him when the former was just a teenager with the latter well into his twenties. With the court system being so back and forth when it comes to attempting to find out the truth, it will be interesting to see what evidence and accusations are brought up surrounding Harvey Weinstein in the opening days of his trial and beyond.
