Attorneys delivered opening statements on Wednesday in the New York retrial of Harvey Weinstein, with prosecutors accusing the disgraced film producer of using his immense power in Hollywood to sexually harass and abuse three women. “The defendant wanted their bodies, and the more they resisted, the more forceful he got,” Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lucey told jurors on Wednesday. In his third trial in five years, Weinstein is accused of sexually abusing a former television production assistant, an aspiring actress and a model. The former film mogul has pleaded not guilty, and in court his lawyer sought to cast doubt on the women’s claims and credibility.Attorney Arthur Aidala told the jury the prosecution case would “fall flat on its face” after they heard all the evidence.”They’re going to ask you to make sense of things that just don’t make sense,” he said.A court of appeals overturned Weinstein’s previous conviction for sex crimes in New York last April, before he was indicted on new sexual assault charges in the state in September.Last week, 12 jurors – seven women and five men – were chosen to weigh Weinstein’s fate. On Wednesday, Ms Lucey spent an hour delivering an opening statement, telling jurors that three women had fallen victim to the abuse of a Hollywood powerbroker who “rubbed elbows with celebrities and politicians”. The retrial in New York is centred on two women who brought allegations against Weinstein for his 2020 trial, actress Jessica Mann and former TV production assistant Miriam Haley. This time, the trial also includes allegations from former Polish model and actress Kaja Sokola, who has accused Weinstein of assaulting her when she was 16. On Wednesday, Ms Lucey recounted the three women’s stories of assault and harassment, sparing few details. The alleged encounters often involv …
