Harvey Weinstein Was the ‘One Getting Abused,’ Defense Says in Retrial Closing Argument; Prosecution Calls Him ‘No Victim’

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Closing arguments kicked off Tuesday morning at Harvey Weinstein‘s retrial in New York City.

Following the declaration that the defense’s side was finished presenting their case, attorney Arthur Aidala started making his final statement to the jury.

Lawyer Aidala emphasized again that the defense believes the accusers are not truthful and that their intimate interactions with Weinstein were consensual. He further suggested that the jury should drop the case if they harbor any reservations about the prosecution’s assertions or remain in a state of ambiguity.

I’m emphasizing that this isn’t just a matter of being innocent or not, but rather, it’s about whether they provided sufficient evidence to convince us beyond any possible uncertainty.

Later on, he remarked, “These are the kind of individuals they want you to perceive; they’re primarily women whose aspirations have been shattered.

Harvey Weinstein faces charges for allegedly committing a “serious sexual crime” in the first degree (twice) and third-degree rape, based on testimonies from three women: Miriam Haley (a former TV production assistant), Kaja Sokola (a previous model), and Jessica Mann (an aspiring actress). Weinstein has declared his innocence by pleading not guilty to all these charges.

Aidala characterized Weinstein’s relationships with Haley, Sokola and Mann as “transactional.”

Aidala stated about Weinstein, “It’s him who is being mistreated in this situation.” He pointed out that Weinstein covered the costs of the women’s travel and additional expenditures, and also extended invitations for them to attend various events.

Later on, he asserted that the accusers aimed to bypass others and take a quicker path, viewing Weinstein as their means of entry. However, when they didn’t achieve success in the entertainment world, Aidala stated, “They’re still angry. They’ve remained angry ever since.

A significant portion of the defense’s final statement centered around Aidala meticulously summarizing each accuser’s testimony from the prolonged trial, where he consistently underscored their subsequent encounters with Weinstein following the alleged attacks and pointed out discrepancies or lapses in their memory during questioning.

At some point, Aidala brought up the testimony from cardiologist Ewa Sokola, who is Kaja’s older sister and also an accuser. He suggested that her role later changed to a defense witness when she testified about Kaja appearing tense after the alleged 2006 assault, but never revealing that anything untoward had occurred.

Aidala stated that Ewa Sokola was backing up our argument, indicating that there were no issues between her and her sister.

At the culmination of their final statement, Aidala suggested that the three ladies accusing Weinstein of sexual assault did so primarily to seek fame and monetary rewards.

He concluded, “If this guy wasn’t Harvey Weinstein, would we even be here?”

District attorney Nicole Blumberg then approached the jury to give the prosecution’s summation.

Blumberg outlined Weinstein’s dominance and clout within Hollywood at the time of the alleged attacks, labeling him as a “giant in the entertainment world.” She asserted that he leveraged this power to intimidate and manipulate people, especially those with dreams of forging careers in entertainment.

Blumberg stated, ‘He was unconcerned about their professional lives.’ However, it appeared he was more interested in their physical selves.

She continued, “He didn’t care what they wanted. He cared what he wanted.”

Blumberg countered Aidala’s statement that Weinstein was the victim, stating, “In this case, the defense does not represent a victim. Implying otherwise is disrespectful.

The prosecution’s closing argument is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning.

The convicted film producer, who was disgraced due to sexual assault and rape allegations, had been imprisoned for 23 years in New York following his 2020 conviction. However, in April 2024, Weinstein’s verdict was reversed by the New York Court of Appeals. The court decided that an error occurred during the trial, as it allowed testimonies from three additional accusers who were not supposed to be included. These testimonies were considered prejudicial since they did not offer any significant information related to the charges against him.

In addition to his conviction, Weinstein was found guilty of rape in Los Angeles in 2022 and received a 16-year prison sentence as part of the punishment.

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2025-06-04 00:18