NEW YORK – In a courtroom that has seen numerous trials, Jessica Mann, the woman at the center of Harvey Weinstein’s repeatedly retried rape case, gave her testimony for the third time. She described how the former Hollywood mogul trapped her in a hotel room and assaulted her, despite her repeated pleas for him to stop. “I said ‘no’ over and over, and I tried to leave,” Mann, now 40, told jurors, crying as she recounted her harrowing experience. “He just treated me like he owned me.”
Mann, a hairstylist and aspiring actress, is sharing her story six years after she first spoke to a jury about a complicated relationship that ultimately turned into a traumatic incident. Weinstein, the Oscar-winning producer whose name became synonymous with the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct, listened quietly as Mann described the events of 2013 in a Manhattan hotel room.
At 73, Weinstein, who is currently serving time in prison, has denied all allegations of sexual assault. His legal team has asserted that any interactions between him and Mann were consensual. This trial follows his 2020 conviction, which was later overturned, and a retrial that resulted in a deadlocked jury last year.
Testimony Filled with Emotion
During her testimony, Mann spoke about her relationship with Weinstein, which began at a party in Los Angeles in early 2013. Initially, she was excited about the opportunities that came with knowing a powerful figure in Hollywood. However, the relationship quickly became complicated. Mann described feeling both validated and demeaned by Weinstein, recalling how he could be charming one moment and aggressive the next. “If he was told no or something, it was just like this monster side came out,” she said.
On the day of the incident, Mann recounted how Weinstein showed up unexpectedly at her hotel room in New York, where she was staying for a friend’s work trip. After she attempted to speak with him privately, he pressured her to undress despite her pleas to stop. “That was really scary, so I remember just kind of — just shutting down and giving up,” Mann testified. She described how Weinstein overpowered her and raped her in the hotel room.
Aftermath and Continued Interaction
Despite the traumatic experience, Mann did not report the assault. Instead, she continued to interact with Weinstein, attending events and even accepting help from him in her career. She later explained that she wanted to maintain a sense of normalcy and hoped to keep the relationship professional. “I just wanted everyone to act like everything was normal,” she told the jury.
Mann’s interactions with Weinstein included ongoing consensual encounters, but as she began to date someone else, she tried to distance herself from him. When she expressed her desire to end their sexual relationship, Weinstein reacted with anger, leading to another assault in Beverly Hills, California. “You owe me one more time!” he reportedly shouted before the incident occurred.
Throughout her testimony, Mann’s emotional struggle was evident. She frequently broke down while recounting her experiences, illustrating the lasting impact of her ordeal. The trial continues to draw attention as it highlights ongoing issues related to sexual assault, power dynamics, and the challenges faced by survivors when recounting their stories.
The Associated Press typically does not identify individuals who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they agree to be named, as Mann has done. This decision underscores the importance of respecting the agency and choices of survivors in these sensitive matters.
