Jessica Mann, the key accuser in the Harvey Weinstein's sex-crimes trial, broke down while recounting horrors of the sexual abuse by the tarnished movie mogul, as she took the stand on Monday. In her allegations against Weinstein, 34-year-old Mann said that since 2013, the disgraced Hollywood producer had raped her on several occasions.
'Weinstein helped me in ways my parents didn't,' Mann in her previous email
In the email written to Eddie, her then-boyfriend, in 2014, Mann said that Weinstein "validated her and always offered to help me in ways my parents didn't." Donna Rotunno, Weinstein's defence attorney, had submitted the email as a piece of evidence in the case.
"Harvey validated me in ways my parents never did. ... Harvey was my father's age and he gave me all the validation I needed. I played into sexual dynamics simply to feel I would never be taken advantage of again," she wrote further in the email.
While clarifying the 'extent' of her relationship with Weinstein, who was bone of contention between the two lovers, Mann wrote that she "had set clear boundaries with Weinstein and he had always been very nice" to her.
Mann had a breakdown while recalling a previous sexual assault
Mann, broke down into hysterical sobs as she spoke about a prior sexual abuse at the age of 27, forcing New York Supreme Court Judge James Burke to call for a short break. "I remembered the day I realized I was controlling my world because I was sexually assaulted, and that story played out where I played into sexual dynamics with people to feel like I would never be taken advantage of again. I tried to make him a pseudo father," Mann read the mail through her tears.
When asked by the defence attorney, "This sexual assault was from when you were younger?" Mann started sobbing. However, upon her return, Mann who was still sobbing was heard saying: "I'm having a panic attack." She was soon surrounded by the prosecution and defence attorneys as she started hyperventilating. As Mann left the courtroom, the Judge dismissed the jury until the next morning.
Questions arise over Mann's friendly emails to Weinstein
Earlier, the defence brought the jury's attention to the 'friendly emails' sent by Mann to Weinstein in the past. In one of the emails, Mann wrote: "I appreciate all you do for me."
On being said that she manipulated Weinstein and despite the forced sexual encounter, continued to meet him, Mann said that she manipulated Weinstein to protect herself. "How I handled it to survive and process it — yeah, I guess you could say it was manipulation. I maintained a relationship with Weinstein to protect my career."
"I tried to not have sex and there would be a back and forth about it, and at a certain point, I would give in or he would masturbate," she added.
Mann talks about 'Golden Shower' given by Weinstein
During her testimony on Friday, Mann had revealed that Weinstein had peed over her during a sexual encounter. On Monday, she revealed the incident in detail after the defence attorney asked her.
Giving a graphic account of the incident, Mann recalled: "The incident happed in Los Angeles. I knew where Harvey and I were. We were in the shower. He wanted to shower first, which was beneficial to me, and he asked me to come into the shower and then he said to me, 'Have you ever had a golden shower?' And I said, 'No.' And then I felt him he peeing on me."
On being asked, if she left the shower after the incident, Mann said: "I was in shock by it, it was gross. I turned into the corner of the shower and just looked away." In the email sent to her boyfriend about Weinstein, Mann wrote: "I was close enough to him to tell you that he no longer has a working penis. On the lower half of his body, he had some kind of surgery or burn and he's lucky to have his parts. I never asked what happened."
Weinstein goes off to sleep in the court-room
During Mann's cross-examination, the former aspiring actress, was reading an email sent to her then-boyfriend, Eddie, in 2014. In the length email, Mann described in detail her relationship with Weinstein, who she referred to as her "pseudo-father."
While an emotional Mann read out the content of the mail, Weinstein was caught napping in the middle of the trial. At the end of the trial, as Weinstein exited the courtroom, a reporter asked him why he dozed off? Weinstein merely said: "Oh Please!"
