Opening declarations are set for Wednesday in the old film of the film of the film Harvey Weinstein, this time with a predominantly female jury deciding on the #MeToo affair.
After a selection process of several days, he gave seven women on Monday, a jury of five men and five alternative jurors, Weinstein’s prosecutors and lawyers finished choosing a sixth and last substitute on Tuesday. The alternates intervene if a member of the main panel cannot see the test.
The main jury is more feminine than the five women and seven men who condemned Weinstein during his first trial five years ago. The verdict marked a moment of signature for the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct, which had been fueled in 2017 by an entertainment of allegations against Weinstein, then producer of high -flying films of a series of winners of the Oscars, including pulp fiction and Shakespeare in love.
But in a reversal which dismayed the activists of #MeToo, the highest court in New York canceled the conviction of Weinstein in 2020 and a sentence of 23 years in prison last year. The court concluded that the trial judge of origin had granted a detrimental testimony. The mandate of this judge expired in 2022, and he is no longer on the bench.
Weinstein, 73, pleaded not guilty and denies having raped or sexually assaulted anyone.
Coming from the Manhattan jury pool, the 12 members of the main jury of the new New York trial include a physics researcher, a photographer, a dietitian, a therapist, an investment bank engineer and a fire security director. Others have experience in real estate, television advertisements, debt collection, social work and other areas.
One has an equivalence diploma in high school. Others have master’s degrees. Some have served as jurors or great jurors several times before; Others, never.
Hundreds of other potential jurors have been excused for reasons ranging from linguistic barriers to strong opinions on Weinstein – “the first word that came to my head was” pig “,” said a man who was quickly released.
The people chosen were questioned about their history, their life experiences and various other points which could relate to their ability to be fair and impartial on the highly publicized case.
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“You can hear sexual allegations here of a health – graphic nature, perhaps. To hear it indicates that … Mr. Weinstein must be guilty? ” Defense lawyer Mike Cibella asked a potential juror on Monday. The woman, who was finally chosen, replied no.
Prosecutor Shannon Lucey asked for assurances that future jurors could put aside any position or feeling that they had on the #MeToo movement.
“Is there someone who will think of the movement and think:” Ok, is it just something that I have to keep in my mind when I decide this case “? Can everyone put this aside? Lucey asked a group of 24 possible jurors. Everyone said they could do it.
Weinstein’s new rape and sexual assault program implies accusations of three women: a budding actor who said he raped her in 2013, and two women who made separate allegations of forced oral relations in 2006. One of the two was not part of the initial trial.
Meanwhile, Weinstein challenges a separate rape conviction in 2022 in Los Angeles.
