The first stage of Harvey Weinstein’s trial is complete and already sets the tone for future hearings in this high-profile court case. It was in a tense atmosphere that the composition of the jury that will decide the fate of the ousted American producer, accused of sexual assault and rape, was finalized on Friday January 17. The jury will finally count five women and seven men.
After two weeks of court hearing in Manhattan, which saw nearly 700 people summoned, state judge James Burke validated the twelve jurors – assisted by three alternates – who will decide the outcome of this emblematic trial of the #metoo movement.
The selection process accelerated significantly after the defense exhausted the twenty peremptory challenges (without compulsory justification) allocated to it. Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi-Orbon repeatedly complained to the judge that the defense was systematically trying to remove the young white women from the jury. One of the accused’s lawyers, Arthur Aidala, notably asked for the dismissal of a potential juror who, at 26, was too young to understand the context of the case.
"Many of the nuances of this case are linked to the way the world turned in the 1990s", he explained, referring to the accusations against Harvey Weinstein that date back to that time.
Mini-controversy around a jury
The choice of the last two jurors sparked a mini-controversy: the defense accused a woman of having omitted to mention that she was going to publish, this summer, a novel which recounts the story of young women targeted by sexual predators. The judge nevertheless retained her among the twelve jurors. A "Outlier", Harvey Weinstein's lawyer Donna Rotunno told reporters after the hearing. In the process, the defense filed an application for the annulment of the trial, highlighting the "Inconsistencies and lies" of this juror.
However, Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexual harassment or assault by more than 80 women, will only be tried in New York for two alleged facts, a sexual assault and a rape. The 67-year-old former producer faces life imprisonment if convicted.
This high-profile trial is set to get to the heart of the matter next Wednesday with opening arguments, and will end on March 6.
