100 CENTRE STREET, April
23 -- Harvey Weinstein was in
his wheelchair, this time with Marc Agnifilo, Teny Geragos
and Jacob Kaplan as his lawyers, as opening arguments
began before NYS Justice Curtis Farber on April 21. Inner
City Press was there and live tweeted. So too on April 23:
Judge Curtis Farber: Cross examination Weinstein's lawyer Teny Geragos: This was during Oscar season? Witness: Yes. Geragos: He often used the ballroom there? Witness: Yes. Geragos: He used an alias? Witness: Many do at the Montage
Assistant DA: I have a stipulation, regarding Tolita Maia. We have both understand diligent efforts to find her and procure her testimony. We have not been able to. Signed by Jacob Kaplan, counsel for the defendant Harvey Weinstein. Judge: No objection? Received. Judge Farber: So we will read to you Ms. Maia's previous testimony, using two court reporters.
Question: How old are you? "Maia": 35. I live in LA. Q: Where are you from? Maia: Brazil. I was living between LA and Jersey City. Q: Do you know Ms. Mann? Maia: Yes Maia: She was staying in her car. I told her she could move in with me. Early 2013.
Q: Did you attend a party in the Hollywood Hills Maia: Yes. I took Jessica there. We met Harvey Weinstein. He approached me and said I was the only person eating at this LA party
Maia: Jessica came over. Harvey said, I am Harvey Weinstein. Of the Weinstein Company. I said, That's why people treat you so well. Jessica said, No it's because he's so cute. She pinched his check and gave him her number. Q: Then the Mondrian?
Maia: Yes. Maia: Then Harvey invited Jessica to go have drinks at the Montage. I was to drive her there... She told me that she sang for him. She was very happy. At the Montage, the bar was closing so I went to the bathroom. In the lobby, they asked me to go upstairs
Maia: I didn't want to wait in the lobby and look like a hooker. I went upstairs, but I didn't really want to. Jessica was already seeing him.
Q: What happened? Maia: I sat on the couch and watched TV. She went in the room and they closed the door Q: Did she say anything after? Maia: No. She seemed OK, nothing out of the ordinary. Q: Did she maintain a relationship with Harvey? Maia: Yes. Q: St. Patrick's Day 2013, was Jessica in New York? Maia: Yes. Me, her and her agent went to a bar drinking. Maia: She saw Harvey that morning Q: Did she say anything after? Maia: No. We walked around the city. Q: Did she tell you Harvey raped her? Maia: No. She spoke highly of him. Q: Did she sleep in your closet? Maia: No. I had a nice apartment. Q: Did she say, best orgasm ever? Maia: She did eventually tell me that.
Judge: Jurors, we'll break Break
