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Mel Gibson May Testify in Harvey Weinstein Rape Trial – Deadline
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Mel Gibson May Testify in Harvey Weinstein Rape Trial – Deadline

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Mel Gibson may be able to speak in Harvey Weinstein’s sex crimes trial here in Los Angeles.

During a motions hearing today outside the Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles, attorneys for the incarcerated producer and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office argued over whether award-winning Gibson an Oscar winner, would be allowed to testify as corroborating witness Jane Doe No. 3 in the upcoming trial.

On May 18, 2021, Gibson said in an interview that when he was getting a massage from Jane Doe #3, he noticed that when he mentioned “Harvey”, the woman started crying. The initial response and more gave Gibson the idea that Weinstein had sexually assaulted or groped her. Weinstein’s alleged assault happened at an LA County hotel in 2010, according to court documents.

Even though Judge Lisa Lench will allow Gibson to speak in the high-profile trial, that doesn’t mean he necessarily will. In cases like this, it’s common for there to be more witnesses on the list than there are actually called, regardless of their star power. Although Gibson’s potential presence on the stand was discussed in open court today, the list of witnesses in the Weinstein trial remains officially sealed.

Weinstein’s attorney, Mark Werksman, unsuccessfully argued Friday that Gibson dislikes Weinstein and should not be allowed to testify.

“Shortly after (the Gibson film The Passion of Christ) came out, Mr. Weinstein’s publishing house, Miramax Books, released a book titled Perspectives on the Passion of Christ debunking the film’s anti-Semitic overtones and misrepresentation of Jews. »

“It created a feud between Mr. Gibson and a Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein is Jewish… Mr. Gibson knew that,” Werksman said, as the first week of jury selection wrapped up. The defense attorney continued, “Any evidence of Mr. Gibson’s racism or anti-Semitism would result in bias against my client, who challenged him.”

The judge said Weinstein’s lawyers could bring up the The passion of Christ and Weinstein’s book on his anti-Semitic argument, but not the quotes from Gibson’s 2006 arrest in which he made anti-Semitic remarks.

With California first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom now identified among the alleged victims and expected to testify, Weinstein faces grand jury indictments on four counts of rape, four counts of forced oral copulation, one count of sexual penetration by use of force, plus one count of forcible sexual assault and sexual assault in incidents involving five women in LA County from 2004 to 2013. Sentenced to 23 years in prison by a Manhattan jury in March 2020 for multiple sex crimes, and moved to the West Coast in the summer of 2021., Weinstein, 70, faces 140 years behind bars if convicted in LA

Once a jury is seated in the trial at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, opening statements are scheduled to begin Oct. 23.

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