KEY POINT SUMMARY – Weinstein Trial
• Weinstein trial sees ex-model Sokola describe assault at 16
• She claims Weinstein groped her and forced her to touch him
• Prosecutors say he later forced oral sex in a Manhattan hotel
• Sokola received a $3.5M settlement but now testifies publicly
• Defense insists encounters were consensual, denies all charges

Weinstein Trial Turns Dark As Ex-Model Testifies

The Weinstein trial took a shocking turn as Kaja Sokola faced the jury.

Tearfully, she recounted the horrifying moment Harvey Weinstein allegedly assaulted her at just 16 years old. Describing the incident as “the most horrifying thing I ever experienced,” Sokola bravely revisited the painful memory.

Jurors scribbled notes while Sokola explained how Weinstein touched her in a Manhattan apartment bathroom back in 2002.

Weinstein Trial Hears Of Intimidation And Fear

During the Weinstein trial, Sokola said she saw Weinstein’s “black and scary” eyes in the mirror as he assaulted her.

Afterward, Weinstein reportedly told her to stay quiet. He bragged about launching the careers of Gwyneth Paltrow and Penélope Cruz, hinting he could make her famous too.

“I felt stupid and ashamed,” Sokola admitted as she described blaming herself for what happened.

Assault Outside Statute Of Limitations, But Still Central To Case

Though Weinstein cannot be criminally charged for the 2002 assault, Sokola’s testimony remains crucial in the Weinstein trial.

Prosecutors say Weinstein later forced oral sex on Sokola at a Manhattan hotel in 2006, just before her 20th birthday. That incident forms part of the current case.

Sokola’s 2020 report to authorities came after Weinstein’s first conviction, but she did not testify then. Prosecutors revived her claim after his conviction was overturned.

Weinstein Trial Hears Defense’s Pushback

Weinstein, 73, pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Throughout the Weinstein trial, his defense team argued that accusers, including Sokola, stayed in contact willingly, seeking career advancement.

Weinstein’s lawyers also fought unsuccessfully to block Sokola’s testimony, accusing prosecutors of adding her to boost their case.

Sokola’s Emotional Account Highlights Pattern

Sokola revealed chilling details about her first meeting with Weinstein.

She said the studio mogul lured her from a restaurant to an apartment under the pretense of discussing acting. However, Weinstein pressured her to remove her top and later assaulted her in the bathroom.

“He told me actresses have to take their clothes off,” Sokola testified. “I was scared.”

Weinstein Trial Continues With More Accusers

The Weinstein trial is far from over.

Sokola joins Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann as key witnesses. Haley recently testified that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006. Mann is expected to speak soon.

Prosecutors hope the trio’s accounts will reveal a disturbing pattern of Weinstein using his power to exploit women chasing Hollywood dreams.

Weinstein Trial Could Seal His Fate

As Sokola left the stand, she avoided Weinstein’s gaze.

The courtroom remains tense as the Weinstein trial moves forward. Weinstein’s fate now hangs in the balance as jurors absorb the harrowing accounts from his accusers.

Justice, Sokola hopes, is finally within reach.