A “Soiled Dancing: Havana Nights” actress claimed Harvey Weinstein masturbated on her face whereas his assistant waited outdoors a resort room.
The girl, referred to in court docket as “Ashley M.,” trembled and sobbed as she testified how the disgraced Hollywood film mogul picked her out of the solid of dancers filming in Puerto Rico in 2003 and demanded that she give him a “bare therapeutic massage.”
Ashley M., who was a skilled ballerina, mentioned she was 22 years outdated when she labored on the “Soiled Dancing” sequel, which was produced by Weinstein’s former firm Miramax.
She mentioned Weinstein approached her as she was about to movie a ballroom scene with different dancers and took her outdoors for a personal dialog.
“He mentioned it might simply be a unadorned therapeutic massage … and to not fear about it,” Ashley M. mentioned in tears. “He mentioned, ‘Take a look at Gwyneth Paltrow and what it did for her profession.'”
Ashley M. mentioned she rebuffed his advances and was relieved when a break was referred to as for dinner as a result of she thought she would have the ability to keep away from additional contact with Weinstein.
She testified on Tuesday at Los Angeles Superior Court docket that when she informed a producer and a choreographer what had occurred, they did nothing.
When she returned from dinner, a stern Weinstein was ready for her, alongside together with his assistant, Bonnie Hung.
She mentioned Weinstein turned “very aggressive” and informed her to get into the limo with Hung.
“I gave her (Hung) a seem like, ‘Are you able to assist me’ with my eyes,” Ashley M. mentioned. “She appeared me within the eyes and mentioned, ‘Don’t fear. I might be with you the whole time. He simply needs to speak about initiatives.'”
Ashley M. mentioned though she felt scared, she received within the limo with Weinstein as a result of she was reassured that Hung can be together with her. After the brief, 10- to 15-minute trip, the limo stopped at a resort.
“I used to be anxious however but I felt comforted that Bonnie was there … however I used to be questioning what was happening,” she mentioned.
The trio went contained in the resort with Weinstein main them to a door. That’s when Ashley M. mentioned she realized she was not going to a gathering room however a personal room.
“Harvey opened (the door) and he went in, then I went in,” she mentioned, sobbing. “And Bonnie shut the door behind us.”
Weinstein instantly turned aggressive and shoved her onto the mattress, she recounted.
He took off her high and bra and he additionally received undressed, Ashley M. testified.
“He mentioned, ‘It’s not like we’re having intercourse … it’s bare cuddling,'” Ashley M. mentioned. “I used to be like actually scared. I didn’t know what to do. I mentioned cease. I simply keep in mind in my head saying, ‘What do I do?’ I knew he was simply actually large and Bonnie most certainly was on the market. I didn’t know what to do.”
Ashley M., who on the time was about 115 kilos, mentioned Weinstein’s girth overpowered her as he straddled her at one level and groped her breasts.
She mentioned she couldn’t see Weinstein’s genitalia however noticed him making a movement as he was masturbating.
“He mentioned, ‘It’s OK, it’s not like we’re having intercourse,'” Ashley M. mentioned. “He ejaculated on me … on my breasts and a few received on my face.”
Hysterical, Ashley M. mentioned, she cleaned herself up and received dressed.
She mentioned she remembers feeling “grateful” that she wasn’t raped.
When she opened the resort door, Hung was standing proper outdoors holding a clipboard.
Ashley M. mentioned Hung averted her gaze, and the three went again into the limo, which took them again to the “Havana Nights” set.
Ashley M. mentioned she instantly referred to as her mother and then-fiancé, however she was too ashamed to inform them the main points.
When requested by Deputy District Legal professional Marlene Martinez if she informed anybody on set concerning the alleged assault, Ashley M. mentioned no.
“I felt like, on the time, everybody was afraid for his or her careers,” she mentioned. “Nobody helped me on the dinner. Why would they assist me now?”
Though Weinstein is just not going through costs concerning Ashley M., the regulation permits the prosecution to query witnesses to “prior unhealthy acts” in sexual assault circumstances to point out a defendant’s sample of conduct, which might present their intent.
Weinstein has pleaded not responsible to 11 counts of rape and sexual assault involving 4 ladies, together with California’s first associate, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s spouse. All of them will testify as Jane Doe in the course of the trial.
The prosecution additionally plans to name three different “prior unhealthy acts” witnesses to the stand.
Weinstein, 70, is serving a 23-year jail sentence following a conviction in New York. He was granted permission to take the attraction of his 2020 intercourse crime conviction to the New York State Court docket of Appeals.
Ashley M. will proceed her testimony on Friday.
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