NEW YORK — In his ongoing retrial for sex crimes in New York, former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein will not testify, according to his attorney. This decision leads the trial towards closing arguments, without Weinstein taking the stand, as announced by his lawyer, Arthur Aidala, on Sunday evening. Court proceedings will resume with closing arguments on Tuesday, making the timeline for jury deliberations likely to begin either by Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday.
Harvey Weinstein’s choice not to testify follows his precedent in past trials in both New York and California, where he faced convictions. Weinstein has consistently denied the allegations against him, and his lawyer has indicated that the decision was heavily deliberated. Despite not testifying, Weinstein closely follows the developments of the retrial from the defense table, occasionally expressing visible reactions to the testimonies presented.
Weinstein benefited from a new trial following the reversal of his 2020 conviction by New York’s highest court, while he continues to appeal his California conviction. In this retrial, he faces charges including the 2013 rape of actress and hairstylist Jessica Mann and the 2006 instance of forced oral sex on former production assistant Miriam Haley and model Kaja Sokola, who aimed to pursue acting.
The trial has involved intense testimonies from these three women, who recounted traumatic experiences, suggesting that Weinstein misused his position and promises of career advancement to exploit them. Weinstein’s defense, however, contends that any encounters were consensual.
In criminal trials in the United States, there is no obligation for defendants to testify, with many choosing to abstain for strategic reasons, such as avoiding cross-examination by the prosecution. Discussions outside the courtroom suggest Weinstein’s defense team believes there were significant inconsistencies in the accusers’ narratives, yet they also weigh the jurors’ expectations for Weinstein’s own testimony.
The jury has been presented with testimonies from other defense witnesses. Among them was Talita Maia, whose previous trial testimony from 2020 was read aloud in court, as she could not attend the current proceedings. Maia had initially shared a living situation and friendship with Mann but later disassociated. Maia and another witness, Thomas Richards, both claimed to have seen nothing suspicious in the immediate aftermath of the alleged incidents with Weinstein.
Jessica Mann had previously shared in court that despite maintaining silence at the time, due to fear and anticipated disbelief if she reported Weinstein’s actions, the impact lingered. Weinstein’s defense further presented a former friend of Kaja Sokola, Helga Samuelsen, who testified about Weinstein visiting their shared apartment in 2005, contradicting Sokola’s assertions that such events never occurred.
While the Associated Press typically withholds the identities of sexual assault survivors, Jessica Mann, Miriam Haley, and Kaja Sokola have consented to be publicly named, bringing their stories to the forefront of a highly publicized legal battle.