A 38-year-old former actress Jessica Mann testified in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday while recounting her alleged rape by Harvey Weinstein at a New York City hotel. She became emotional while giving evidence, five years after her initial testimony at the former film producer’s first trial, New York Post reported.Jessica Mann’s testimony was punctuated with tears as she described being forced into sexual activity by Weinstein at the Doubletree Hotel in Midtown on March 18, 2013.She told the court that following the alleged assault, she discovered a discarded needle in the bin, which she believed Weinstein had used. The label contained the word “necro”, which upon researching online, led to a disturbing revelation.“I found on Google that it basically meant ‘dead p***s,’ and you inject it and it can only be used a certain amount of times back-to-back over a certain time,” she informed the jury.She expressed her concerns about potential exposure to harmful substances, describing the discovery as frightening.Mann acknowledged maintaining a consensual relationship with Weinstein afterwards, describing him as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because sometimes he validated me so much.”“Everyone said going to Hollywood was the devil’s playground,” she testified. “He told me I was beautiful and encouraged me and that meant a lot to me.”She described Weinstein’s contrasting behaviour, noting his adverse reactions to refusal.“There were times… I wouldn’t want to do something and I felt like I was just being used for sex,” she stated. “The word ‘no’ was a trigger for him. This other personality – I called it ‘The Monster side’ – would come out.”The 73-year-old Weinstein, dressed in an unkempt charcoal suit, observed from his wheelchair as Mann hesitantly told Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo about her fears of not being believed.She expressed anxiety about Weinstein’s connections to influential figures, including former President Bill Clinton.“I remember imagining if I ever said anything he would call his friend and the Secret Service would come get me,” she said. “I don’t know, I had all these ideas.”Her current testimony largely mirrored her 2020 court appearance, where she had described Weinstein’s anatomical abnormalities.The previous jury found Weinstein guilty of third-degree rape against Mann, but not guilty of first-degree rape.Following the overturning of Weinstein’s conviction last year, this retrial has also heard testimony from former teen model Kaja Sokola and former TV production assistant Miriam “Mimi” Haley, who both allege rape by Weinstein.He maintains his innocence and could face up to 25 years imprisonment if convicted.
