A judge on the second day of Harvey Weinstein's rape trial lambasted the disgraced movie producer for again using a cell phone in the courtroom, threatening to throw him in jail.
Judge James Burke on Tuesday took Weinstein to task in court after he was caught using a cell phone despite being repeatedly ordered not to do so, Deadline reports.
"Mr. Weinstein, I could not implore you more to not answer the following question," the judge said, per The Hollywood Reporter. "Is this really the way you want to end up in jail for the rest of your life, by texting in violation of an order? Is it?" The judge said this has been an "issue every single court date."
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Burke, who Deadline reports appeared "extremely irritated," also said that Weinstein "did turn over his cell phone to somebody, but then he had two more." Weinstein at one point "held two cellphones," The New York Times reports.
The judge didn't end up revoking Weinstein's bail as he threatened to do but said this would be his last warning, Reuters reports, saying, "I'm not looking for apologies; I'm looking for compliance." Weinstein is facing sexual assault and rape charges, and he has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors previously asked for Weinstein's bail to be raised after he allegedly mishandled his ankle monitor repeatedly.
Burke also denied a request from Weinstein's team to delay his trial in light of new charges against him in Los Angeles that were announced on Monday, when jury selection for his New York trial began. His lawyers had argued for a "cooling off period" and for the trial to wait until "there are other things in the news," per the Reporter, but the judge wasn't convinced, saying the jury "will be instructed that being arrested or charged or indicted for a felony is in and of itself meaningless."
