LIFE AFTER #METOO
HE LOOKS the shadow of the man he once was – the one who schemed, shouted and bullied his way to becoming one of the richest and most powerful figures in Hollywood.
Shuffling into a New York court room with the help of a metal walking frame, Harvey Weinstein bore little resemblance to the domineering figure who up until a mere two years ago had the capacity to make or break careers. As he passed a group of women – including actors Rosanna Arquette and Rose Mc-Gowan – holding signs that read “I stand with survivors”, he averted his gaze.
The walking frame appeared to be exactly the kind of touch one might expect from a Hollywood impresario – a naked ploy to gain sympathy. Not so, insists his lead defence lawyer, Donna Rotunno.
In August last year, Weinstein (67) was involved in a road accident in upstate New York after swerving to avoid a deer, and required a three-hour operation on his back. The walking frame is a necessity, his lawyer claims.
Rotunno (44), a tall, striking-looking woman who favours designer outfits, towering stilettos and chain necklaces, has been described by one former client as “a bulldog”. But she seems to have her work cut out for her defending Weinstein.
His trial, which is expected to last up to six weeks, will see him facing five charges, including rape and predatory sexual assault of two women. One is Mimi Haleyi, a former production assistant, who says Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her at
