Context:

Harvey Weinstein's defense team is working to undermine the credibility of former model Kaja Sokola's allegations that he sexually assaulted her multiple times during her teenage years. Lawyer Mike Cibella highlighted inconsistencies between Sokola's current testimony and her statements to a grand jury, as well as a lack of corroborating evidence from the time of their initial meeting in 2002. Sokola, now a psychotherapist, recounted how Weinstein allegedly exploited her aspirations for an acting career to make unwanted advances. Her testimony is part of Weinstein's retrial following an overturned 2020 conviction due to prejudicial testimony allowed by the judge. Despite these challenges, Sokola stands by her claims, asserting that Weinstein lured her with false pretenses and sexually assaulted her at a hotel in 2006, forming the basis for a criminal sex act charge against him.

Dive Deeper:

• Harvey Weinstein's legal team is attempting to cast doubt on the accusations made by Kaja Sokola, a former model, who claims he sexually assaulted her during her teenage years. Key to their strategy is highlighting discrepancies between her recent testimony and past grand jury statements.

• Mike Cibella, a defense lawyer, emphasized inconsistencies in Sokola's account and noted the absence of witnesses or documents that could verify her statement of meeting Weinstein at a Manhattan nightclub in 2002.

• Kaja Sokola, who pursued a career in psychotherapy after modeling, testified that Weinstein took advantage of her ambitions for an acting career to initiate unwanted sexual encounters, starting shortly after their first meeting.

• Weinstein's current retrial is a result of his 2020 conviction being overturned due to judicial errors, and Sokola's allegations have been added to the prosecution's case, with her being the only new accuser since the first trial.

• Sokola recounted a specific incident in 2006 where Weinstein allegedly lured her to a hotel under the guise of discussing a script, only to assault her, which forms the basis of a criminal sex act charge.

• Despite the defense's efforts to discredit her, Sokola remains firm in her accusations, having publicly identified herself alongside other accusers in the context of the #MeToo movement.

• The retrial continues to unfold as Weinstein maintains his plea of not guilty, denying all allegations of sexual assault against him, while the prosecution seeks to establish a pattern of predatory behavior.