A woman who was raped a decade ago by Harvey Weinstein is suing the disgraced movie producer for damages, according to a lawsuit lodged Thursday in Los Angeles.

Weinstein was convicted in December of attacking the woman, who has not been named, in a Beverly Hills hotel room.

The Oscar-winning former producer, 70, is already serving a 23-year sentence for his 2020 conviction in New York for sex crimes.

At a hearing expected this month in Los Angeles, he faces a possible further 18-year term, increasing the likelihood the "Pulp Fiction" producer will spend the rest of his life in prison, even as he appeals both cases.

His victim on Thursday claimed unspecified damages, alleging sexual battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence.

"The conduct of Defendant Weinstein was despicable, and done with malice, oppression and fraud, thus justifying an award of punitive damages against him," the lawsuit says. 
 
After his conviction in New York, a civil trial awarded $17 million to dozens of women who had accused the former movie magnate of abuse.

The plaintiff in Thursday's suit was not among them.

Rumors of Weinstein's behavior had circulated in Hollywood for years, but his position at the apex of the industry meant few were prepared to challenge him.

That all changed in 2017 with the publication of bombshell allegations against him, ushering in the #MeToo movement and opening the floodgates for women to speak out against sexual violence in the workplace.

Dozens of women have since alleged they fell victim to Weinstein's predatory behavior.

A woman who was raped a decade ago by Harvey Weinstein is suing the disgraced movie producer for damages, according to a lawsuit lodged Thursday in Los Angeles. Weinstein was convicted in December of attacking the woman, who has not been named, in a Beverly Hills hotel room.

A woman who was raped a decade ago by Harvey Weinstein is suing the disgraced movie producer for damages, according to a lawsuit lodged Thursday in Los Angeles. Weinstein was convicted in December of attacking the woman, who has not been named, in a Beverly Hills hotel room. The Oscar-winning former producer, 70, is already serving a 23-year sentence for his 2020 conviction in New York for sex crimes. At a hearing expected this month in Los Angeles, he faces a possible further 18-year term, increasing the likelihood the "Pulp Fiction" producer will spend the rest of his life in prison, even as he appeals both cases. His victim on Thursday claimed unspecified damages, alleging sexual battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence. "The conduct of Defendant Weinstein was despicable, and done with malice, oppression and fraud, thus justifying an award of punitive damages against him," the lawsuit says. After his conviction in New York, a civil trial awarded $17 million to dozens of women who had accused the former movie magnate of abuse. The plaintiff in Thursday's suit was not among them. Rumors of Weinstein's behavior had circulated in Hollywood for years, but his position at the apex of the industry meant few were prepared to challenge him. That all changed in 2017 with the publication of bombshell allegations against him, ushering in the #MeToo movement and opening the floodgates for women to speak out against sexual violence in the workplace. Dozens of women have since alleged they fell victim to Weinstein's predatory behavior.

Harvey Weinstein rape victim sues for damages

Jurors in Los Angeles began deciding the fate of Harvey Weinstein on Friday, weighing rape and sex abuse charges that could see the former Hollywood titan jailed for the rest of his life.&nbsp;A weeks-long trial has heard graphic descriptions of encounters in California hotel rooms between the once-powerful producer and women who were trying to make their way in the world of movies.

Prosecutors have painted a picture of a predatory ogre, who used his physical and professional prowess to rape and abuse women for years with impunity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/gwyneth-paltrow-to-uma-thurman-harvey-weinstein-and-his-bygone-glamorous-hollywood-life-282677">Gwyneth Paltrow to Uma Thurman: Harvey Weinstein and his bygone glamorous Hollywood life</a>

His victims were left terrorised and afraid for their careers if they spoke out against a man who dominated Tinseltown for decades, the lawyers said.

Weinstein, the 'Pulp Fiction'&nbsp;producer who is already serving a 23-year sentence in New York for a series of attacks, denies the raft of Los Angeles charges.

His attorney has sought to portray accusers either as liars who never had sex with his client, or as women who willingly lay on the casting couch, swapping sex for a leg up in the notoriously competitive world of filmmaking.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/harvey-weinstein-four-charges-of-11-dropped-in-sexual-assault-case-534666">Harvey Weinstein: Four out of 11 charges in sexual assault case dropped.</a>

Weinstein, now 70, is charged with seven sex-related counts involving four women, one of whom has been identified by her lawyer as Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

"It is time for the defendant's reign of terror to end," prosecutor Marlene Martinez told the jury in her closing argument on Thursday.

"It is time for the kingmaker to be brought to justice."

<h2>- 'Despicable behaviour' -</h2>

Weinstein, who was credited with making the careers of household names like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow, used his power to prey on and silence women, Martinez said.

The jury heard testimony from women who said they had been tricked into being alone with the "Shakespeare in Love" producer in his hotel room.

Several described how they had begged him to stop as he forced himself on them, made them perform oral sex on him, or watch him masturbate, sometimes as he groped them.

"We know the despicable behaviour the defendant engaged in," Martinez told the jury.

"He thought he was so powerful that people would... excuse his behavior."&nbsp;

"'That's just Harvey being Harvey. That's just Hollywood.&nbsp;And for so long that's what everyone did. Everyone just turned their heads."

Defending Weinstein, Alan Jackson told the jury the prosecution had failed to provide evidence that any of the sexual encounters were anything but consensual.

The entirety of the prosecution's case could be summed up with five words -- "Take my word for it," he said.

Two of the four women at the centre of the charges described encounters that never happened, he said.&nbsp;

The two others were women who knowingly engaged in transactional sex and now regretted it, Jackson said, part of what he called a "dogpile" on Weinstein in the wake of the explosion of the #MeToo movement.

Referring to Siebel Newsom, he said she "cannot square in her mind that she's a successful, well-educated, well-bred, refined woman who had consensual sex with Harvey Weinstein in exchange for opportunity and access.

"Regret is far from rape. You don't get to rewrite your own history no matter who you're married to."

Weinstein did not testify in his own defence.&nbsp;If convicted, he could face more than 100 years in jail.

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Jurors in Los Angeles began deciding the fate of Harvey Weinstein on Friday, weighing rape and sex abuse charges that could see the former Hollywood titan jailed for the rest of his life.

Jurors in Los Angeles began deciding the fate of Harvey Weinstein on Friday, weighing rape and sex abuse charges that could see the former Hollywood titan jailed for the rest of his life. A weeks-long trial has heard graphic descriptions of encounters in California hotel rooms between the once-powerful producer and women who were trying to make their way in the world of movies. Prosecutors have painted a picture of a predatory ogre, who used his physical and professional prowess to rape and abuse women for years with impunity. Also read: Gwyneth Paltrow to Uma Thurman: Harvey Weinstein and his bygone glamorous Hollywood life His victims were left terrorised and afraid for their careers if they spoke out against a man who dominated Tinseltown for decades, the lawyers said. Weinstein, the 'Pulp Fiction' producer who is already serving a 23-year sentence in New York for a series of attacks, denies the raft of Los Angeles charges. His attorney has sought to portray accusers either as liars who never had sex with his client, or as women who willingly lay on the casting couch, swapping sex for a leg up in the notoriously competitive world of filmmaking. Also read: Harvey Weinstein: Four out of 11 charges in sexual assault case dropped. Weinstein, now 70, is charged with seven sex-related counts involving four women, one of whom has been identified by her lawyer as Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom. "It is time for the defendant's reign of terror to end," prosecutor Marlene Martinez told the jury in her closing argument on Thursday. "It is time for the kingmaker to be brought to justice." - 'Despicable behaviour' - Weinstein, who was credited with making the careers of household names like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow, used his power to prey on and silence women, Martinez said. The jury heard testimony from women who said they had been tricked into being alone with the "Shakespeare in Love" producer in his hotel room. Several described how they had begged him to stop as he forced himself on them, made them perform oral sex on him, or watch him masturbate, sometimes as he groped them. "We know the despicable behaviour the defendant engaged in," Martinez told the jury. "He thought he was so powerful that people would... excuse his behavior." "'That's just Harvey being Harvey. That's just Hollywood. And for so long that's what everyone did. Everyone just turned their heads." Defending Weinstein, Alan Jackson told the jury the prosecution had failed to provide evidence that any of the sexual encounters were anything but consensual. The entirety of the prosecution's case could be summed up with five words -- "Take my word for it," he said. Two of the four women at the centre of the charges described encounters that never happened, he said. The two others were women who knowingly engaged in transactional sex and now regretted it, Jackson said, part of what he called a "dogpile" on Weinstein in the wake of the explosion of the #MeToo movement. Referring to Siebel Newsom, he said she "cannot square in her mind that she's a successful, well-educated, well-bred, refined woman who had consensual sex with Harvey Weinstein in exchange for opportunity and access. "Regret is far from rape. You don't get to rewrite your own history no matter who you're married to." Weinstein did not testify in his own defence. If convicted, he could face more than 100 years in jail.

Harvey Weinstein jury mulls verdict in Hollywood rapes case

Opening arguments were due to begin Monday in the Los Angeles trial of disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, with five alleged victims expected to take the stand during the two-month case.

The 70-year-old 'Pulp Fiction' producer is already serving 23 years in jail in New York after being convicted there of a series of sex crimes.

He now faces 11 more charges, including sexual battery by restraint, forcible rape and forcible oral copulation against women in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles hotels between 2004 and 2013.

If convicted, Weinstein -- who has pleaded not guilty to all counts -- could be sentenced to more than 100 additional years behind bars.

The task of selecting a jury got underway on October 10, with Judge Lisa Lench overseeing proceedings. 
Widespread sexual abuse and harassment allegations against Weinstein exploded in October 2017, and his conviction in New York in 2020 was a landmark in the #MeToo movement.

In June, he lost a bid to have that sex crimes conviction overturned. He has also been separately charged by British prosecutors with the 1996 indecent assault of a woman in London.

In total, nearly 90 women, including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Salma Hayek, have accused Weinstein of harassment or assault.

Weinstein's attorney Mark Werksman has said there would be a testimony in Los Angeles from well-known figures, The Los Angeles Times reported.

"Some of these victims, people will recognize them. Some of these women, you've seen them in movies, they've been in ad campaigns, a couple of them have achieved some success as actresses or models," Werksman said, according to the paper.

Weinstein says that all his sexual encounters were consensual, and his lawyer told reporters that the Los Angeles accusations "stem from many years ago" and cannot "be substantiated or corroborated by any forensic evidence" or "credible witnesses."

Before the allegations against him emerged, the producer and his brother Bob were Hollywood's ultimate power players.

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They co-founded Miramax Films, a distribution company named after their mother Miriam and father Max, in 1979. It was sold to Disney in 1993.

Their hits included 1998's 'Shakespeare in Love',&nbsp;for which Weinstein shared a best picture Oscar. Over the years, Weinstein's films received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes.

'She Said',&nbsp;a film about the 2017 newspaper investigation into Weinstein that sparked the demise of his movie empire, is set for wide release on November 18 in the United States.

Opening arguments were due to begin Monday in the Los Angeles trial of disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, with five alleged victims expected to take the stand during the two-month case.

Opening arguments were due to begin Monday in the Los Angeles trial of disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, with five alleged victims expected to take the stand during the two-month case. The 70-year-old 'Pulp Fiction' producer is already serving 23 years in jail in New York after being convicted there of a series of sex crimes. He now faces 11 more charges, including sexual battery by restraint, forcible rape and forcible oral copulation against women in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles hotels between 2004 and 2013. If convicted, Weinstein -- who has pleaded not guilty to all counts -- could be sentenced to more than 100 additional years behind bars. The task of selecting a jury got underway on October 10, with Judge Lisa Lench overseeing proceedings. Widespread sexual abuse and harassment allegations against Weinstein exploded in October 2017, and his conviction in New York in 2020 was a landmark in the #MeToo movement. In June, he lost a bid to have that sex crimes conviction overturned. He has also been separately charged by British prosecutors with the 1996 indecent assault of a woman in London. In total, nearly 90 women, including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Salma Hayek, have accused Weinstein of harassment or assault. Weinstein's attorney Mark Werksman has said there would be a testimony in Los Angeles from well-known figures, The Los Angeles Times reported. "Some of these victims, people will recognize them. Some of these women, you've seen them in movies, they've been in ad campaigns, a couple of them have achieved some success as actresses or models," Werksman said, according to the paper. Weinstein says that all his sexual encounters were consensual, and his lawyer told reporters that the Los Angeles accusations "stem from many years ago" and cannot "be substantiated or corroborated by any forensic evidence" or "credible witnesses." Before the allegations against him emerged, the producer and his brother Bob were Hollywood's ultimate power players. Also read: Alec Baldwin slammed on social media for his tribute to late Halyna Hutchins They co-founded Miramax Films, a distribution company named after their mother Miriam and father Max, in 1979. It was sold to Disney in 1993. Their hits included 1998's 'Shakespeare in Love', for which Weinstein shared a best picture Oscar. Over the years, Weinstein's films received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes. 'She Said', a film about the 2017 newspaper investigation into Weinstein that sparked the demise of his movie empire, is set for wide release on November 18 in the United States.

Opening arguments to start in Weinstein sex assault trial

The jury in former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein`s rape trial finished its first day of deliberations on Tuesday, in a case that has become a milestone for the #MeToo movement. 
 
The Manhattan jury of seven men and five women began their discussions after the judge hearing the case warned Weinstein`s lead defence lawyer, Donna Rotunno, against talking to the press until jurors have reached a verdict. 
 
The warning came two days after the attorney wrote an opinion piece about the case in Newsweek magazine. 
 
“I would caution you about the tentacles of your public relations juggernaut," Justice James Burke told Rotunno. 
 
Rotunno told Burke that the opinion piece, published on Saturday and titled "Jurors in my client Harvey Weinstein`s case must look past the headlines," was not intended to address the jury directly. 
 
"This is an op-ed about the jury system as a whole, about the criminal justice system as a whole," she said. 
 
Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi asked Burke to revoke Weinstein`s bail and jail him, saying he must have approved the Newsweek opinion piece, which she said "borders on tampering with the jury." The judge did not act on the request. 
 
Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, in 2013. 
 
After court wrapped up on Tuesday, Weinstein replied that he was feeling "good" when asked how he was feeling now that the case was in the jury`s hands. 
 
He faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault. 
 
A unanimous verdict is needed for a conviction. 
 
Since 2017, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Weinstein, who was behind films including "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love," has denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual. 
 
The allegations fuelled the #MeToo movement, in which women have accused powerful men in business, entertainment, media and politics of sexual misconduct. 
 
After deliberating for less than an hour, the jury sent a note asking for clarification of their legal instructions, which Burke provided. 
Later in the afternoon, they requested exhibits, including a blueprint of the apartment where Weinstein allegedly assaulted Haleyi and a 2017 email he sent to a private investigator with a list of women highlighted as "red flags." 
 
The list included Annabella Sciorra, who testified that Weinstein entered her New York apartment one winter night in 1993 or 1994 and raped her. The accusation is too old to be charged as a separate crime, but it could act as an aggravating factor to support a charge of predatory sexual assault. 
 
Prosecutors have said the email is evidence that Weinstein tried to prevent Sciorra and other accusers from going public with their accusations. 
 
Last week, jurors heard closing arguments from lawyers on both sides. Defence attorney Rotunno argued that the encounters had been consensual, pointing to friendly communications from the women to Weinstein after they were allegedly assaulted. She assailed the credibility of the accusers and urged the jury to put aside their emotions and use common sense in evaluating the evidence. 
 
Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi urged jurors to convict Weinstein, saying the once-powerful producer used his position in the film industry to prey on women and that those who testified against him had no reason to lie.

The jury in former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein`s rape trial finished its first day of deliberations on Tuesday, in a case that has become a milestone for the #MeToo movement.

The jury in former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein`s rape trial finished its first day of deliberations on Tuesday, in a case that has become a milestone for the #MeToo movement. The Manhattan jury of seven men and five women began their discussions after the judge hearing the case warned Weinstein`s lead defence lawyer, Donna Rotunno, against talking to the press until jurors have reached a verdict. The warning came two days after the attorney wrote an opinion piece about the case in Newsweek magazine. “I would caution you about the tentacles of your public relations juggernaut," Justice James Burke told Rotunno. Rotunno told Burke that the opinion piece, published on Saturday and titled "Jurors in my client Harvey Weinstein`s case must look past the headlines," was not intended to address the jury directly. "This is an op-ed about the jury system as a whole, about the criminal justice system as a whole," she said. Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi asked Burke to revoke Weinstein`s bail and jail him, saying he must have approved the Newsweek opinion piece, which she said "borders on tampering with the jury." The judge did not act on the request. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, in 2013. After court wrapped up on Tuesday, Weinstein replied that he was feeling "good" when asked how he was feeling now that the case was in the jury`s hands. He faces life in prison if convicted on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault. A unanimous verdict is needed for a conviction. Since 2017, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Weinstein, who was behind films including "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love," has denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual. The allegations fuelled the #MeToo movement, in which women have accused powerful men in business, entertainment, media and politics of sexual misconduct. After deliberating for less than an hour, the jury sent a note asking for clarification of their legal instructions, which Burke provided. Later in the afternoon, they requested exhibits, including a blueprint of the apartment where Weinstein allegedly assaulted Haleyi and a 2017 email he sent to a private investigator with a list of women highlighted as "red flags." The list included Annabella Sciorra, who testified that Weinstein entered her New York apartment one winter night in 1993 or 1994 and raped her. The accusation is too old to be charged as a separate crime, but it could act as an aggravating factor to support a charge of predatory sexual assault. Prosecutors have said the email is evidence that Weinstein tried to prevent Sciorra and other accusers from going public with their accusations. Last week, jurors heard closing arguments from lawyers on both sides. Defence attorney Rotunno argued that the encounters had been consensual, pointing to friendly communications from the women to Weinstein after they were allegedly assaulted. She assailed the credibility of the accusers and urged the jury to put aside their emotions and use common sense in evaluating the evidence. Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi urged jurors to convict Weinstein, saying the once-powerful producer used his position in the film industry to prey on women and that those who testified against him had no reason to lie.

Harvey Weinstein case: Jury concludes first day of deliberations in rape trial