Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers get their turn to question accuser Miriam Haley at #MeToo retrial

By JENNIFER PELTZ and MICHAEL R SISAK NEW YORK AP Harvey Weinstein s lawyers got their turn Thursday to question a woman who alleges the one-time Hollywood heavyweight held her down and forced oral sex on her nearly two decades ago Related Articles Apple posts stronger-than-expected Q results but stocks slides after-hours Amazon posts solid first quarter earnings advancement but outlook is tempered by tariff uncertainty Arrest of Tufts attendee a clear violation her rights advocacy groups say Animal sedative medetomidine is showing up in the US illegal drug supply CDC says NASA astronauts step outside space station to perform the th all-female spacewalk Miriam Haley testifying for a third day at Weinstein s rape retrial was grilled about details of her recollections such as exactly how she once propped open an apartment building door and the bigger picture of her story Defense lawyer Jennifer Bonjean underscored that Haley who was then looking for entertainment production work stayed in touch with Weinstein despite feeling humiliated when he complimented her legs and demanded for a massage at a meeting a sparse months before the alleged assault You understood these were sexual overtures Bonjean sought Haley stated she did You rebuffed them and he still gave you his phone number right Yes announced Haley who got a short gig on the Weinstein-produced Project Runway shortly after that meeting which happened in his company s hotel suite during the Cannes Film Festival Haley has repeatedly testified that she was pursuing only job opportunities nothing else from Weinstein Bonjean also sparred with the witness over her decision to get a lawyer and hold a press conference airing her assertions as the MeToo movement exploded in October fueled by other women s states that the Oscar-winning producer had sexually assaulted or harassed them Witness Mimi Haley arrives to testify in the development against former film producer Harvey Weinstein at state court in Manhattan Thursday May in New York Michael M Santiago Pool Photo via AP Miriam Haley an accuser testifying at Harvey Weinstein s rape trial walks to the courtroom Thursday May in New York AP Photo Adam Gray Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan for his trial on Thursday May in New York Michael M Santiago Pool Photo via AP Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan Thursday May in New York AP Photo Adam Gray Pool Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan Thursday May in New York AP Photo Adam Gray Pool Miriam Haley an accuser testifying at Harvey Weinstein s rape trial walks to the courtroom Thursday May in New York AP Photo Adam Gray Miriam Haley an accuser testifying at Harvey Weinstein s rape trial walks to the courtroom Thursday May in New York AP Photo Adam Gray Harvey Weinstein appears in state court in Manhattan Thursday May in New York AP Photo Adam Gray Pool Show Caption of Witness Mimi Haley arrives to testify in the matter against former film producer Harvey Weinstein at state court in Manhattan Thursday May in New York Michael M Santiago Pool Photo via AP Expand Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting anyone His lawyers argue that all of his accusers consented to sexual encounters in hopes of getting work in show business Haley who has also gone by the name Mimi Haleyi is the first of three accusers expected to testify at the retrial She is reprising and adding particular new details to testimony that led to Weinstein s since-overturned conviction She testified Wednesday that Weinstein assaulted her after inviting her to his apartment for what she expected to be a friendly professional meeting She stated he pushed her onto a bed ignoring her pleas of No no it s not going to happen She and two friends testified that she explained them soon after that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her Haley testified that she took a prearranged flight to Los Angeles on Weinstein s dime the next day and a insufficient weeks later agreed to meet him at a Manhattan hotel She reported she had expected to talk in the lobby but was instead directed to his room where she says she had unwanted but not forced sex with him Even after that Haley testified she kept in touch sometimes sending emails signed Lots of love to Weinstein and his assistant She stated that she was still trying to capitalize professionally on knowing Weinstein and that she suppressed a lot of things to cope with them Bonjean pointed out Thursday that when Haley went population in she didn t mention her subsequent sexual encounter with Weinstein nor their continued contact You described the press only part of the story correct Bonjean requested I stated the part that was relevant to what I was trying to share Haley explained She denied Bonjean s suggestion that she spoke out in hopes of suing Weinstein though she later sued and got a roughly settlement Focusing on the Cannes meeting Bonjean pressed Haley on what to make of the fact that she had secured a meeting with a top producer while she had limited experience herself So as somebody in my position I should have turned it down is what you re saying Haley shot back I m not saying you should have done anything Bonjean replied She will step away from Weinstein s defense club to attend to another trial after she finishes questioning Haley who is due back on the stand Friday Weinstein s retrial includes charges related to Haley and another accuser from the original trial Jessica Mann who alleges Weinstein raped her in He s also being tried for the first time for allegedly forcing oral sex on former model Kaja Sokola in Mann and Sokola also are expected to testify The Associated Press generally does not name people who allege they ve been sexually assaulted unless they give permission for their names to be used Haley Mann and Sokola have done so