Harvey Weinstein's legal team grilled one of the prosecution's key witnesses during cross-examination Monday. Jessica Mann, who testified Friday that Weinstein raped her twice in 2013 when they were in a relationship, fielded questions from Donna Rotunno that targeted her credibility.Rotunno, the disgraced producer's top lawyer, read an email Mann sent to Weinstein in April 2013, one month after she said she was raped at the DoubleTree Hotel in Manhattan. "I hope to see you sooner than later," it said, per the Hollywood Reporter. In August 2013, Mann emailed him, "I hope some of your genius rubs off on me.""You knew that your words were a problem in your testimony," Rotunno told Mann, according to THR. "You sent him emails telling him how wonderful he was. You sent him emails thanking him. You sent him emails asking for things."Mann, a hairdresser and former aspiring actress, explained that she sent flattering emails because she was scared of Weinstein and wanted to appear non-threatening."There was a reason my behavior was like this," she said. "It’s just keeping him happy. I felt safe on email."At one point, Mann admitted to being "confused" about what she had said in the past, a word Rotunno jumped on."You’re confused a lot, Ms. Mann," Rotunno said, which drew a sustained objection from the prosecution. Weinstein's lawyer also suggested Mann maintained a relationship with the former media mogul because she liked having access to Hollywood parties. Rotunno claimed Mann "manipulated" Weinstein during their interactions."You made him think that you wanted to be there," Rotunno alleged. "You could have walked away from Harvey Weinstein and never seen him again."During their relationship, Mann said Weinstein forced her to participate in degrading sexual acts. On Monday, she was asked to elaborate about a time when he allegedly urinated on her. "I was shocked by it," she said. "It was gross."Rotunno also had Mann read from a letter she wrote to her then-boyfriend in 2014."My secret and my fear is knowing that a part of the dynamic with Harvey would mean that you would never talk to me again," Mann read in court, according to the Wrap. "I had to work through a lot of illusion … and father issues."I told you how sometimes I felt hopeless, that I should just be with an older man because I’m a lost cause," Mann continued. "I accepted that my father was that older man. … I in turn would be that kind of woman because of my failed relationships."
Source : aol.com/entertainment
Source : aol.com/entertainment