On Thursday, the lawyers representing Harvey Weinstein had the opportunity to question Miriam Haley, a woman who alleges that the former Hollywood mogul sexually assaulted her nearly two decades ago. Haley's accusations include an incident where Weinstein allegedly held her down on a bed and forced her to perform oral sex in July 2006 at his Manhattan apartment. This marked the third day of Haley's testimony in Weinstein's retrial.

During the cross-examination, defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean probed Haley regarding her motivations for hiring a lawyer and coming forward with her allegations in the wake of the #MeToo movement in October 2017. Bonjean challenged Haley on her earlier statements to the media regarding the assault, leading Haley to admit that she had not provided a complete picture of her relationship with Weinstein during those interviews.

Haley contested Bonjean's suggestion that she publicized her experience with the intent of suing Weinstein but did eventually acknowledgment filing a lawsuit that resulted in a settlement of approximately $475,000. Weinstein, now 73 years old, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and asserts that any sexual encounters were consensual, motivated by his accusers' desires to advance their careers in show business.

Haley testified that she continued to maintain contact with Weinstein for over a year following the alleged assault. She explained that the day after the incident, Weinstein covered the costs for her flight to Los Angeles, and only a few weeks later, she agreed to meet him at a hotel in Manhattan. Contrary to her expectations of a casual meeting in the lobby, she was directed to his hotel room, where the situation escalated into unwanted sexual advances.

Despite the alleged assault, Haley stated that she kept in touch with Weinstein, often reaching out with emails and phone calls, occasionally signing off with “Lots of love.” Haley firmly denied any romantic interest in Weinstein, claiming that her efforts to communicate with him stemmed solely from her pursuit of professional opportunities.

Bonjean highlighted inconsistencies in Haley's narrative, pointing out that she initially omitted details of the subsequent sexual encounter and their continued correspondence in her public statements. When confronted about this, Haley maintained that she shared only the aspects she deemed relevant to her story. Bonjean also noted that Haley did not report the alleged assault to the police until June 2018, shortly after she saw media coverage of other women accusing Weinstein.

In response to Bonjean's queries, Haley expressed that the press conference in which she spoke out was not directed at Weinstein but was meant to support other victims sharing their experiences. Under questioning from the prosecutor, Haley had earlier described the assault as a situation that began as a friendly, professional meeting but quickly escalated into something she called “the unthinkable,” as Weinstein disregarded her pleas of “No, no, it’s not going to happen.”

In her testimony, Haley, who has used the name Mimi Haleyi, indicated feelings of shock, disgust, and humiliation in the aftermath of the incident and recounted confiding in two friends shortly after the event. She is the first of the three accusers expected to testify in Weinstein’s current trial. This retrial comes after his previous conviction was overturned, with additional details being revealed that were not included in the first trial.

The ongoing case includes charges related not only to Haley but also allegations from another accuser, Jessica Mann, who claims Weinstein raped her in 2013, as well as a new charge regarding former model Kaja Sokola, who alleges Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006. Mann and Sokola are also expected to take the stand during this retrial.