California Governor's wife gets emotional as she testifies against Harvey Weinstein in sexual assault case

California Governor Gavin Newsom's wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom testified against Harvey Weinstein on Monday at a court in Los Angeles. Jennifer is the fourth woman to have accused the former Hollywood producer of sexual assault in his West Coast trial.

Weinstein pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and seven other sexual assault counts involving five women.
During the trial, Jessica became emotional when she was asked if she saw the person in the courtroom who she met at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. Jessica went silent while being seated at the witness stand and then muttered "yes" in the microphone as she teared up and looked towards the defense table and described Weinstein for the record.

"He's wearing a suit, and a blue tie, and he's staring at me," she said while crying.

Weinstein is already serving a 23 year sentence in a #MeToo case in New York.

Jessica described herself as a "powerless actor trying to make her way in Hollywood" when Weinstein allegedly raped her at a hotel in Beverly Hills. She was reportedly called for a meeting to discuss her career.

Weinstein's attorney Mark Werksman argued that the two had consensual sex and claimed she was using him to advance her career.

Jessica recalled that the two first met during TIFF 2005 and Weinstein later approached her at a hotel lobby. "It felt like the Red Sea was parting. I don’t know if it was deference or fear," said Jessica of her encounter at the lobby with the former producer.
Siebel Newsom added, "I felt a bit intimidated. He was charming. He treated me initially like he was really curious about me. Maybe flattered is how I felt?"

Weinstein's lawyer said in the court that many of the counts his client was charged with her actually consensual sex that were later reframed by the accusers as assault especially after the #MeToo movement gained momentum in 2017.