Harvey Weinstein is set to face a second trial in Los Angeles
The Harvey Weinstein saga has been an extremely ugly and revelatory one, exposing the sinister machinations and the endless exploitation prevalent in Hollywood. After his first trial in New York, Weinstein is set to face a more extensive trial in Los Angeles which is expected to last for two months at least.
Earlier this year, Weinstein’s legal team started panicking after the judge allowed testimonies from five extra witnesses even though the prosecution were gunning for 15. In a statement, Weinstein’s lawyer Mark Werksman said: “This is going to become a circus. I would beg the court to reconsider.”
“There is one person in this courtroom who is responsible for that,” Paul Thompson – the lead prosecutor –retorted. “That is Mr. Weinstein’s responsibility. Mr. Weinstein is the one who committed all of these offences against so many women over so many years.”
Jury selection for the trial will start on Monday and is expected to last for two weeks, especially since this case has received widespread publicity and has impacted the opinions of many. Weinstein is already a convicted rapist and is currently serving a 23-year sentence which began two years ago.
If he is convicted in Los Angeles, Weinstein is looking at a 140-year sentence even though he is currently trying to appeal his New York conviction. In the LA trial, Weinstein is facing 11 charges relating to five women and these charges are spread across a decade – from 2004 to 2013.
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