Harvey Weinstein's lawyers told jurors on Tuesday that the former movie mogul should be acquitted and that the prosecution's case in the #MeToo-era rape retrial is unsupported by the evidence, as prosecutors prepared to deliver closing arguments later in the week.
Defense attorneys argued that the three-woman case has been tried multiple times and that the testimony and documentary evidence do not meet the legal standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, asking jurors to end what they called a prolonged prosecution of a famous man.
They told the panel that inconsistencies in witnesses' accounts and gaps in the prosecution's timeline undermined the credibility of the allegations, and they warned jurors against being swayed by emotion or by Weinstein's notoriety, according to ABC News.
The retrial centers on three women who have accused Weinstein of sexual assault in separate incidents; prosecutors say the evidence shows a pattern of coercive behavior, while the defense says the encounters were consensual or misremembered.
Prosecutors have signaled they will press that the accusers' accounts, taken together with other testimony and exhibits, establish a pattern consistent with intentional criminal conduct, and they are expected to complete closing arguments before the judge instructs jurors on the law.
During Tuesday's defense presentation, lawyers repeatedly sought to undercut the prosecution's narrative by characterizing witness accounts as unreliable and by highlighting prior inconsistencies in testimony, filings, and cross-examination, Independent reported.
The defense also referenced earlier rulings and motions in the case, including prior attempts by Weinstein's team to challenge earlier convictions and verdicts, arguing that those procedural histories show reason for jurors to view the prosecution's case skeptically.
Prosecutors have previously described Weinstein as a serial predator who used his power in Hollywood to pressure women into sexual encounters, and in earlier trials, they emphasized testimony that accusers repeatedly said "no" during assaults, a point prosecutors are expected to revisit in closing arguments.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office has opposed defense efforts to overturn prior verdicts or to expand post-trial inquiry into juror deliberations, filing detailed oppositions that argue the convictions and procedures were properly handled, as per Deadline.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
