Harvey Weinstein's Accuser Gets Emotional As She Takes The Stand Again After 5 Years

Harvey Weinstein's accuser, Miriam Haley, faces her fears once again.

The alleged sexual assault survivor is back on the stand to detail her painful experience at the hands of the producer as his retrial commences.

Harvey Weinstein was hit with multiple sexual assault allegations in 2017 from various women who claimed he abused, raped and sexually harassed them.

Haley became visibly emotional during her second testimony regarding the incident in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in his Manhattan apartment.

She went into detail about the alleged rape incident from 2006, describing how Weinstein had invited her to his Manhattan apartment. Haley claimed it happened after he provided her with a ticket to the premiere of "Clerks II" in Los Angeles, an invitation she accepted.

She recalls sitting with the producer on a sofa when he suddenly charged at her and attempted to kiss her. Haley added that he eventually pinned her down and forced her to a bed, where he then raped her.

Haley allegedly informed Weinstein she was on her period and had a tampon in, but it did little to deter him from pulling out the tampon and proceeding with the rape. 

According to TMZ, the accuser noted that she was aware of what was happening and how bad it was, but "just decided to check out and endure it."

Haley  testified that she first met Harvey Weinstein at the 2004 premiere of "The Aviator" in London, where he helped her secure a position as a production assistant on "Project Runway." She mentioned that their relationship did not turn sexual until the alleged rape in July 2006.

Haley is one of three women testifying against Weinstein in his New York retrial, and her testimony aligns with her previous account from his original trial five years prior. In 2020, Weinstein was convicted of sexually abusing the former production assistant and actress Jessica Mann.

However, those convictions were later overturned after an appeals court ruled that his constitutional rights had been violated during the trial. Now, prosecutors are pursuing another case against him while he maintains his not-guilty plea.

On April 18, The Blast shared that a judge approved Weinstein's request to be transferred from Rikers Island to Bellevue Hospital ahead of his retrial hearing.

The former film producer sought this move due to concerns over poor living conditions and the mishandling of his health issues while in prison. His attorney, Imran Ansari, along with prison consultant Craig Rothfeld, successfully argued for the transfer, which was granted on April 17. 

Weinstein was billed to remain at Bellevue until his hearing, scheduled for April 24 at 2:15 PM ET. This retrial comes after his 2020 rape conviction in New York was overturned following a successful appeal.

The allegations against Weinstein sparked larger agitations toward justice for victims of sexual abuse in the film industry and workplaces. It ignited the #MeToo Movement and what has been termed the "Weinstein effect," as numerous other influential men faced accusations of similar misconduct.

Weinstein also requested $5 million in damages from the Bellevue Medical Center. Despite having a history of treatment at Bellevue over the past year, he included them as part of his claim.

The filmmaker criticized the hospital for discharging him back to prison before he fully recovered. Weinstein's legal team argued that his experience in prison has caused him both physical and psychological harm.

His lawyers also attributed his suffering to the poor living conditions at Rikers Island. The petition's implications extend to the City of New York and its agencies, as Weinstein argued for compensation due to what he describes as "horrific" treatment.

Weinstein's lawyers argued for his transfer to a medical center, claiming Rikers could not meet his healthcare needs and had mismanaged his deteriorating health.

Weinstein's legal representatives further raised significant concerns about the medical care he is receiving at Rikers Island, alleging that the medical staff has misdiagnosed at least one condition.

Attorney Ansari emphasized that the mismanagement of Weinstein's health issues could potentially lead to dire consequences for the film producer.

Weinstein's medical challenges include a range of severe conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and extensive coronary artery disease, alongside chest pain attributed to reduced blood flow to the heart.

Additionally, he also suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid problems, obesity, chronic pain in his lower back and legs, anemia, hypertension, and more. Ansari continued that his client endured "freezing" conditions without clean clothes, worsening his health.

The legal rep criticized NYC officials for their role in his client's suffering and mentioned his efforts to transfer Weinstein from Rikers to Bellevue Hospital, which were ignored. He emphasized that this transfer was vital to prevent Weinstein's premature death.

Which way will the trial swing this time for Harvey Weinstein?