Mel Gibson could possibly make a stand here in Los Angeles at Harvey Weinstein’s sex crimes trial.
At a criminal court hearing today in downtown Los Angeles, attorneys for the jailed producer and LA prosecutors argued over whether Oscar-winning actor Gibson should serve as a corroborating witness for Jane Doe No. 3 in the upcoming trial.
On May 18, 2021, Gibson said in an interview that while getting a massage from Jane Doe #3, he noticed that when he mentioned “Harvey,” the woman started crying. The initial reaction and more led Gibson to suspect Weinstein had sexually assaulted or groped her. According to court documents, Weinstein’s alleged assault occurred in 2010 at an LA County hotel.
While Judge Lisa Lench will allow Gibson to speak at the high-profile trial, that doesn’t mean he necessarily will. In such cases, it is common for there to be more witnesses on the list than are actually called, no matter how much star power they have. Although Gibson’s potential presence on the witness stand was discussed in open court today, the witness list in the Weinstein trial remains officially sealed.
Weinstein’s attorney, Mark Werksman, argued unsuccessfully Friday that GIbson disliked Weinstein and should not be allowed to testify.
“Shortly after (Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ) came out, Mr. Weinstein’s publisher, Miramax Books, came out with a book entitled Perspectives on Passion of the Christ, which debunks the film’s anti-Semitic overtones and misrepresentation of Jews.”
“This led to a feud between Mr. Gibson and a Weinstein. Mr. Weinstein is Jewish… Mr. Gibson knew that,” said Werksman as the first week of jury selection drew to a close. The defense attorney continued, “Any evidence of Mr. Gibson’s racism or anti-Semitism would prejudice my client who challenged him.”
The judge said Weinstein’s attorneys could use the Passion of the Christ and Weinstein’s book to support his anti-Semitism argument, but no citations from Gibson’s 2006 arrest, in which he made anti-Semitic remarks.
With California first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom now identified among the alleged victims and expected to testify, Weinstein faces grand jury indictments on four counts of rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, one count of sexual penetration through the use of force and a case of sexual penetration versus sexual assault through restraint and sexual assault in incidents involving five women in LA County from 2004 to 2013. Sentenced by a Manhattan jury in March 2020 to 23 years in prison for multiple sex crimes and transferred to the West Coast in the summer of 2021., 70-year-old Weinstein faces 140 years behind bars if found guilty in LA
Once a jury sits in the trial at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, opening statements are expected to begin Oct. 23.