Teary-eyed accuser rips into Harvey Weinstein at rape retrial

MANHATTAN (CN) — Miriam “Mimi” Haley, a former TV production assistantaccusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, tore into the disgraced Hollywood film mogul on the witness stand Friday during cross-examination at Weinstein’s New York rape retrial.

“Don’t try to tell me that I wasn’t raped by that fucking asshole,” Haley, fighting through tears, hissed at Weinstein’s defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean.

Bonjean, who has defended other high-profile accused sex criminals like R. Kelly and Bill Cosby, was on her second day of a grueling cross-examination of Haley, who claims that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in the summer of 2006.

Haleytold the jury earlier this week that Weinstein “yanked” a tampon out of her before the assault, and repeatedly pleaded with Weinstein to “please stop.”

In her bid to poke holes in Haley’s testimony, Bonjean on Friday pressed Haley on her inability to remember specifically how her clothes came off at Weinstein’s apartment that day. Bonjean tried to get Haley to say that she undressed herself, but Haley held firm.

“I did not remove my clothes, 100%,” Haley said.

Tensions flared as Bonjean doubled down and tried to catch Haley in a lie.

“He was the one who raped me, not the other way around,” Haley said as Bonjean prodded.

“That is for a jury to decide,” Bonjean replied.

“It’s not for a jury to decide,” Haley said, raising her voice. “It’s my experience, and he did that to me.”

At one point, the New York Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber banged his fist, then his gavel, on his desk to control his courtroom as the women traded barbs.

“Let’s behave, both of you,” Farber pleaded.

But the jabs ensued. Bonjean accused Haley of being difficult for speaking out of turn, while Haley teased Bonjean for “trying to be cute” with her continuous quips in front of the jury.

As her four-day testimony came to an end, Haley reiterated that she never harbored any romantic or sexual feelings towards Weinstein, nor did she ever give him permission to perform oral sex on her.

Under questioning from prosecutors on Friday, Haley also said that she never gave Weinstein permission to have sex with her weeks later, which prompted loud objections from the defense table, since Weinstein isn’t on trial for that action — just the oral sex that occurred prior.

Weinstein’s defense attorney Arthur Aidala called it “absolutely unethical” for prosecutors to elicit that response from a witness and made his fifth move for a mistrial, which was promptly denied.

Haley previously told the jury that she layed in bed “like a dead fish” while Weinstein had intercourse with her on July 26, 2006, but that she didn’t consider it rape at the time since she didn’t “physically resist” and blamed herself.

It’s the second time Haley has shared her story with a Manhattan jury. Thefirst was in 2020, when her testimony helped secure a conviction and 23-year sentence against Weinstein for committing a criminal sex act and third-degree rape.

But last year, New York’s highest court tossed the conviction against Weinstein and ordered a new trial, finding that the trial judge allowed for prejudicial testimony.

At the retrial, Haley once again finds herself as a star witness for Manhattan prosecutors, who are looking to get another conviction against Weinstein for the 2006 incident against Haley, as well as a 2013 third-degree rape of actress Jessica Mann.

There’s an additional accuser at the retrial as well: model and actress Kaja Sokola, against whom Weinstein is also accused of committing a criminal sex act.

Despite his conviction getting tossed, Weinstein is still behind bars serving a 16-year sentence imposed in Los Angeles County Superior Court for raping an Italian model. Until recently, the 73-year-old was doing that time at Rikers Island until he was granted a transfer to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan to accommodate his numerous health issues.

Weinstein’s defense team will be one lawyer lighter next week. After her explosive cross-examination of Haley, Bonjean is expected to miss the remainder of the trial to fight the sex crime charges of another client: Nicole Daedone, the former CEO of sexual wellness company OneTaste.

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