Actress Annabella Sciorra recounts alleged rape by Harvey Weinstein
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Actress Annabella Sciorra took the stand at Harvey Weinstein's trial on Thursday to confront the media mogul over his alleged rape of her in the 1990s.
What they're saying: Sciorra told the jury that Weinstein barged into her apartment in the mid-1990s and raped her, AP reports. She recounted trying to force him off by kicking and punching him. Roughly a month later, Sciorra says she ran into Weinstein and confronted him over the incident, to which he responded: "That’s what all the nice Catholic girls say," adding, "This remains between you and I."
- "I thought he was going to hit me right there," Sciorra said to the courtroom.
- Sciorra added that Weinstein performed unwelcomed oral sex on her following the alleged rape, at which point her body "shut down."
- She also claims that Weinstein harassed her at other points throughout the 1990s, including showing up in his underwear in her hotel room, sending her a box of chocolate penises and packages of valium.
Why it matters: Sciorra was the first of Weinstein's accusers to testify at his trial. He's faced with charges of forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant in 2006 and raping another actress in a hotel room in 2013.
- Sciorra's accusations date too far back to be prosecuted. Prosecutors generally cannot present evidence beyond the charges at hand, but admissions are allowed if they contribute toward establishing a pattern of behavior.
- Questioned by Weinstein's lawyer about why she did not go to the police, Sciorra responded: "At the time, I didn’t understand that that was rape."
- "I thought he was an OK guy. I felt confused. I felt like I wished I never opened the door," she added.
What to watch: Weinstein's case will continue before a jury of seven men and five women. He could face a life sentence if convicted.
