In the trial against former film mogul Harvey Weinstein for sexual assault, which has been ongoing since the beginning of October, the wife of the California governor took the witness stand on Monday.
Partly in tears, Jennifer Siebel (48) described meeting Weinstein in 2005 at a Beverly Hills hotel, where she wanted to talk about possible projects as an actress and producer.
Cried and trembled: allegations of rape by Siebel
According to her testimony, Weinstein assaulted her, dragged her onto a bed and raped her, according to journalists present at the court. She cried, trembled and tried to fend him off, Siebel said. Weinstein must have known that this was done without her consent.
The producer was a powerful figure in Hollywood, and at the time she was still trying to gain a foothold in the film business. She later met Gavin Newsom, whom she married in 2008. The Democrat has been governor of California since 2019. The couple have four children. Siebel appearing in the lawsuit as plaintiff Jane Doe
For Weinstein the second process
Weinstein is on trial for a second time on sexual assault charges. After a trial in New York that ended in 2020 with a guilty verdict and a long prison sentence, he now faces 11 charges in California, including rape. It is about allegations by five women in a period from 2004 to 2013.
As before, Weinstein has denied any guilt in this case. Sexual acts were always consensual. His attorney said in his opening pleadings that the plaintiffs had sex with the influential producer to advance their careers in Hollywood.
