Former film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in court in Los Angeles
Reuters

KEY POINTS

  • Harvey Weinstein is now on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting four women in Los Angeles between 2004 and 2013
  • The former film producer is already serving a 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault in New York
  • His accusers will take to the stand and describe "unique things about his body," including his testicles

Harvey Weinstein's allegedly deformed genitalia will be discussed during his ongoing trial over sexual assault allegations made by four women against him, a prosecutor revealed in opening statements Monday.

Accusers of the disgraced film producer, 70, will testify in court and describe "unique things about his body," including his testicles that were allegedly taken from his scrotum, as they recall how Weinstein allegedly sexually assaulted each of them, New York Post reported.

"What I'm referring to is the result of a surgery that the defendant had in 1999. Because of an infection, his testicles were actually taken from his scrotum and put into his inner thighs," Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson said in his opening statement at Los Angeles Superior Court, according to the outlet.

He continued, "None of the Jane Does will describe his anatomy perfectly, but most of them will be able to describe these abnormalities that they observed during the assaults."

Thompson added that the surgery resulted in "pretty noticeable scarring," which will be presented in photos shown in the court during the trial.

Over two years ago, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault in New York. However, more alleged victims came forward, claiming that they were sexually assaulted by the disgraced Miramax co-founder in Los Angeles between 2004 and 2013.

"Each of these women came forward independently of each other ... and they will tell you that the defendant assaulted them," Thompson said, according to the outlet, "After the defendant assaulted the women, they felt emotionally devastated. They feared that he could destroy their careers if they reported what he had done to them."

While the deputy district attorney gave his opening statement, he also played a video slideshow that included photos of the accusers along with quotes from prior testimonials that were read before the jury.

"I'm shaking and kind of being dragged into the bedroom," said one alleged victim, while another testimonial claimed, "He put his penis in me, but he wasn't erect."

Other descriptions said, "He undressed me, and I [sic] was fondling my breasts. ... and then came on my face," and "I was shocked. I was terrified. I kept saying, 'No! No!"

Weinstein's four accusers have opted to remain anonymous and are expected to be identified only as Jane Does when they testify against him. However, one of the accusers, Jane Doe 4, was identified as California Gov. Gavin Newsom's wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, according to the New York Post.

"Seventeen years ago, when she met the defendant in 2005, she was a powerless actor trying to make her way in Hollywood," Thompson said, without naming Siebel Newsom.

Weinstein allegedly raped her in a West Hollywood hotel room after she was lured there under the pretenses of a business meeting, Thompson said.

The former film producer reportedly did not show any reaction and stared blankly at the jury while the prosecution continued to detail some of the accusations thrown against him.

Aside from the four Jane Doe accusers, four other women will also testify at the trial. These women claimed that Weinstein also sexually assaulted them, but their allegations did not lead to criminal charges.

One of the original Jane Does appears to have dropped out of the trial, according to the report, but Thompson did not confirm whether or not she would still testify.

Weinstein's defense attorney, Mark Werksman, gave his own opening statements Monday, claiming that before the MeToo movement, a social movement that empowered sexual harassment and assault victims to publicize their experiences, it was considered commonplace in Hollywood for women to trade sex for career advancement.

"Hollywood ... was an entirely different place. In Hollywood, sex was a commodity. That's the way things were done," Werksman said, before pointing at his client and telling the jury, "Look at him! He's not Brad Pitt or George Clooney."

Werksman also criticized Siebel Newsom, claiming that if she had not made herself a "prominent victim in the MeToo movement," she would have been "just another bimbo" who had slept with Weinstein to advance her Hollywood career.

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied that any non-consensual sex had taken place.

Monday's trial reportedly ended with an emotional testimony from Jane Doe 1, who said that the former film producer allegedly raped her in a hotel room in L.A. back in 2013.

The alleged victim, who was an actress, recalled that she attended the Los Angeles Italia Film Festival, where she saw Weinstein that night.

Jae Doe 1 alleged that Weinstein forced his way into her room at midnight and demanded she "suck his balls" while he masturbated. Despite her telling him that she was a mother, Weinstein allegedly grabbed her hair and forced her mouth onto his genitalia.

"It was miserable," Jane Doe 1 recalled while sobbing, "I was trying to get away and he grabbed my hair. ... He pulled me to his private part ... and forced me to do what he asked. I was crying, choking."

Jane Doe 1 will testify before the court once again when the trial continues Tuesday.

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein (pictured February 2020) is in prison in northern New York state after being sentenced to 23 years in jail for rape and sexual assault
Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein (pictured February 2020) is in prison in northern New York state after being sentenced to 23 years in jail for rape and sexual assault AFP / Johannes EISELE