Harvey Weinstein trial begins, Annabella Sciorra presents her testimony

Former Hollywood producer, Harvey Weinstein appeared in New York City on Wednesday as his one-month trial began. On the other hand, actress Annabella Sciorra, who is one of the accusers testified in the trial, setting up the first of several face-to-face confrontations between Weinstein and his accusers.

Multiple accusations

Weinstein has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2006 and raping another in a hotel room in 2013. Prosecutors claim that he has also raped Sciorra, in the 1990s but that allegation is too old to be charged as a separate crime. In his defence, Weinstein has repeatedly insisted that any sexual encounters are consensual.  

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On Wednesday, Sciorra’s testimony was reviewed by prosecutors at length. She is one of the four other accusers that the prosecutors plan to call as witnesses during the month-long trial.  The 59-year-old actress has alleged that Weinstein showed up at her Manhattan apartment after dropping her off from a dinner, forced himself inside and raped her sometime in late 1993 or early 1994. 

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Weinstein's lawyer Damon Cheronis, in his opening statement, made clear the defence intends to go on the offensive. He questioned the validity of Sciorra’s account, saying she once told a friend that she did a crazy thing and had sex with Harvey Weinstein and that she had a consensual encounter with him. She didn’t describe it as rape because it wasn’t, Cheronis said.

Harvey Weinstein entered the New York City courthouse on Wednesday without a walking frame, which he has used at previous hearings. On his way to court, he used the walker and was asked by the reporters if he thinks he will get a fair trial to which he said "yes". He said that he has good lawyers. While leaving the court Weinstein told the reporters that he believed it has been a good day.

With inputs from Agencies