A surprise witness due in Harvey’s L.A. sex trial
Mel Gibson, pal of 1 of the accusers, can testify: judge
The Hollywood trial of disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein resumes Monday after last week’s proceedings ended with a bombshell development.
Judge Lisa Lench said Friday that controversial actor-director Mel Gibson and “Melrose Place” star Daphne Zuniga will be allowed to testify later in the trial in support of two women accusing Weinstein of sex crimes.
Monday continues the jury-selection portion of the trial, which centers on 11 charges of rape or sexual assault against Weinstein stemming from claims made by five women.
Gibson will be able to take the stand on behalf of an unnamed masseuse who claims Weinstein masturbated after following her into a bathroom in 2010. She says Weinstein was naked at the time, claiming the incident occurred after she gave him a massage.
The Queens-born Weinstein, 70, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the Los Angeles trial, including for sexual battery by restraint stemming from the masseuse’s accusation.
Gibson is a friend of the masseuse, whom prosecutors say once had a traumatic reaction when Gibson mentioned Weinstein’s name. The judge could still rule against Gibson testifying based on what the woman says when she takes the stand.
Zuniga, meanwhile, may testify on behalf of another unnamed woman who claims Weinstein raped her.
The full list of witnesses is sealed for the trial, which began last week.
Weinstein is already serving a 23-year sentence after being convicted in 2020 on separate sex-crime charges in New York. His conviction was upheld in June after being appealed.
The Los Angeles proceedings have received less public fanfare thus far than the New
York trial, where more reporters were present. Weinstein is also able to go directly to the courtroom from jail, without cameras present, for the Hollywood proceedings.
Opening statements for the L.A. trial are expected to start on Oct. 24.
Weinstein’s defense team pushed back against Gibson testifying, asserting he doesn’t offer a fresh complaint for the case and contending the defense should be allowed to cross-examine Gibson about his own
past controversies, including making anti-Semitic remarks during a 2006 arrest. Weinstein is Jewish.
In 2010, a girlfriend released a recording in which Gibson made racist remarks.
“Any evidence of Mr. Gibson’s racism or antisemitism would give rise to a bias against my client, who challenged him,” said attorney Mark Werksman, who is representing Weinstein.
Weinstein rose to fame as a co-founder of the Miramax production studio behind Oscar-winning films such as “Shakespeare in Love,” “Good Will Hunting” and “Pulp Fiction.”
Four of the 11 incidents at the center of the Los Angeles trial allegedly occurred during the week of the 2013 Academy Awards, according to prosecutors. Weinstein Company films “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Django Unchained” won Oscars that year.