Harvey Weinstein attorney grills rape accuser, says she 'could have walked away'


Harvey Weinstein's attorney grilled one of the key accusers in his rape trial on Monday, accusing Jessica Mann of manipulating the disgraced producer when she "could have walked away."
Mann returned Monday after on Friday providing graphic testimony alleging Weinstein raped her in 2013 when she was an aspiring actress. Weinstein is facing sexual assault and rape charges stemming both from Mann's accusation, as well as the accusation of another woman who alleges he forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006.
Attorney Donna Rotunno questioned Mann's credibility on Monday and pointed to friendly emails she exchanged with Weinstein after he allegedly raped her.
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"You sent him emails telling him how wonderful he was," Rotunno said, per The Hollywood Reporter. "You sent him emails thanking him. You sent him emails asking for things." Rotunno told Mann she "could have walked away from Harvey Weinstein and never seen him again." Mann, who has said she maintained a relationship with Weinstein while fearing he could damage her career, responded, "not from my point of view," per Variety.
After Rotunno told Mann that during subsequent encounters, she "lied to him every single time you made him believe you wanted to be there," Mann said, "For my safety, yeah," Deadline reports. But Rotunno accused Mann of making "a choice to have sexual encounters with Harvey Weinstein" because "you liked the parties and you liked the power," The Associated Press reports.
Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault and rape charges and denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex; more than 80 women have accused him of sexual misconduct. He faces potential life in prison if convicted.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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