This is NOT When Harry Met Sally
Fury of Weinstein accuser asked by lawyer to mimic sexual noises in echo of ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ film scene
THE wife of California’s governor allegedly raped by Harvey Weinstein was appalled after his lawyer asked her to fake an orgasm in front of the jury during a brutal cross-examination.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom told the disgraced film producer’s lawyer Mark Werksman: ‘This is not When Harry Met Sally,’ referring to the 1989 romantic comedy in which actress Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm in public.
Mr Werksman had asked Mrs Siebel Newsom, 48, to ‘indicate’ the nature of sexual ‘noises’ she made during the alleged rape at a hotel in Beverly Hills in 2005, which she said were intended to get Weinstein to end the alleged attack.
When Mr Werksman continued to press her, the wife of California governor Gavin Newsom said: ‘I’m not doing that,’ adding that talking about it was ‘gross’.
The extraordinary exchange happened in a Los Angeles court where Weinstein, 70, is on trial, facing 11 charges of sexual assault from 2004 to 2013.
He is already serving a 23-year sentence after being convicted for similar crimes in 2020.
Mr Werksman asked why Weinstein said ‘I could be your boyfriend’ after the alleged incident at the Peninsula Hotel. He told her: ‘You had faked an orgasm. You indicated your pleasure.’
Mrs Siebel Newsom said she did not. In response, the lawyer said: ‘Except for the part that you were faking an orgasm.’ She replied: ‘That word is not right,’ and agreed ‘ 100 per cent’ when asked if she had been ‘used’.
Mr Werksman challenged Mrs Siebel Newsom, the most high-profile woman so far to accuse Weinstein, about her staying in touch with the producer after the alleged rape, including seeing him at a pre-Oscars party, where she claimed he was ‘weird and scary’.
But at the time Mrs Siebel Newsom emailed Weinstein in positive terms. The email read: ‘ Harvey, great to see you in LA, thank you for including me and Erica and Gavin,’ referring to the party invitation.
It added: ‘We had such a fun time! It’s always great to catch up with you.’
Mrs Siebel Newsom said she was afraid of Weinstein and felt the need to be nice to him. Mr Werksman noted that by March 2007 – 18 months after the alleged rape – she had ‘emailed him 18 times and seen him at least two or three times’.
Mrs Siebel Newsom replied: ‘I’m sorry, I just don’t recall any of this.’
Mr Werksman asked about emails she sent to Weinstein soliciting donations for Mr Newsom in 2007 when he was running for re-election as mayor of San Francisco. She brushed them off, saying she was ‘just hustling’.
Mr Werksman replied: ‘OK, you’re hustling with a man you say violently raped you.’ After an objection, Mr Werksman moved on.
At one point during the gruelling cross- examination, Mrs Siebel Newsom compared the relentless questioning to her interaction with Weinstein, telling Mr Werksman: ‘ What you’re doing today is exactly what he did to me.’
The trial continues.