Prosecutors provide graphic details of rape accusations to open trial of Harvey Weinstein

Jurors in the trial of Harvey Weinstein have heard in graphic detail accusations of how the hulking film producer pinned down women and raped them, as the prosecutors set out their case in a New York courtroom.

One female juror visibly winced as Meghan Hast, the associate district attorney, described how Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra was raped inside her own home.

“Annabella remembers at some point giving up the fight just hoping it would end,” said Ms Hast, before providing a harrowing description of the alleged rape.

Ms Hast said that Sciorra then “began violently shaking. Emotionally and physically destroyed, passing out on the floor.”

She described the accusations made by Mimi Haleyi, a production assistant, that Weinstein invited her to his Manhattan apartment in 2006 and “lunged at her”, pinning her down on a bed forcibly performing oral sex on her.

“Miriam started to realise that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer,” said Ms Hast. “She was going to get raped.”

A third woman, Jessica Mann, alleges that Weinstein raped her in a Manhattan hotel in 2013.

Eight months later, in November 2013, Ms Mann told Weinstein that she had a boyfriend, Ms Hast said.

Ms Hast said that Weinstein “grabbed Jessica by the arms, ripped her from the chair and dragged her to the bedroom, all while screaming at her that she owed him one more time.”

The prosecutor alleged that Weinstein demanded Ms Mann take off her clothes, but she resisted, crawling up to the top of the bed into the fetal position. Weinstein allegedly then ripped off her jeans and raped her, then dragged her into bathroom where “he pushed her down on her knees” and forced her to perform oral sex on him.

Ms Hast said that Weinstein later called Ms Mann from the other room, telling her: “I just want to apologise for what happened earlier, I just find you so attractive I couldn’t resist you.”

Prosecutors have based their case on the accusations made by Ms Mann and Ms Haleyi. Sciorra’s accusations, dating from around 1993, fall out of the statute of limitations but will be used as supporting evidence.

The prosecutors also mentioned accusations made by two other women.

Dawn Dunning, an aspiring actress, alleged that in 2004 she went to Weinstein’s hotel, where he opened the door to his room wearing nothing but a towel around his waist and pointed to a pile of contracts lined up on the table. When she bolted from the room, Weinstein allegedly screamed at her as she ran down the corridor.

Tarale Wulff, another aspiring actress, claimed that Weinstein invited her to his apartment in 2005, and raped her as she lay on the bed “like a dead fish.”

Ms Hast continued: “Different women from different places, decades apart with the same crime.”

Weinstein - who earlier hobbled into the courtroom leaning on his PR man, without the use of his usual zimmer frame - shook his head from the defence table.

“That man was a sexual predator and a rapist,” she said.

Weinstein’s defence team then began laying out their arguments.

Damon Cheronis pointed to Weinstein, and said he had to endure being called a rapist when in fact the sexual activity was consensual.

“Everything that Ms Hast just told you is not evidence,” he told the seven men and five women of the jury.

“She wasn’t there, she doesn’t know these individuals. She’s relying on what they told her happened.

“You will judge what is fact and what is fiction.

“Harvey Weinstein said I didn’t do it, and I am going to let 12 people decide.”

He asked the jurors to “drown out the noise in this case”, and sketched out “shocking” evidence of apparently cordial communication between Ms Mann and Weinstein.

“Thank you for your unfailing support and kindness,” Ms Mann emailed Weinstein, around the time she informed him about her boyfriend.

In February 2017 a text from Ms Mann to Weinstein said: “I love you, I always do. But I hate feeling like a booty call.” The text was signed with a smiley face emoji.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that is not how you talk to your predator,” said Mr Cheronis.

Of Ms Haleyi, he said: “Miriam’s story always changes to hurt Harvey.”

Weinstein faces up to life in prison if convicted, with the trial is expected to last until early March.

The state needs a unanimous jury to convict. A single holdout would produce a hung jury, although that would not prevent prosecutors from trying Weinstein again.

Regardless of the outcome, Weinstein faces additional charges in California.

On the day the trial in New York opened, Los Angeles district attorney Jackie Lacey announced that Weinstein had been charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in 2013.

Ms Lacey said that she expects Weinstein to be brought to LA once the New York trial has concluded.