Former actuality star Holly Madison received’t be referred to as to testify throughout Harvey Weinstein’s Los Angeles rape trial, a decide dominated on Tuesday.
The protection needed Madison to take the stand with the intention to undermine testimony from actress Ashley Matthau, one of many uncharged supporting witnesses. Matthau, who’s accusing Weinstein of sexual battery, claims the previous mogul masturbated on her at his resort in 2003 in Puerto Rico, the place they had been taking pictures Miramax’s “Soiled Dancing” sequel, “Havana Nights.”
Madison, who dated and lived with Playboy founder Hugh Hefner from 2001 to 2008, is shut pals with Matthau. The protection supposed on questioning her in regards to the two partying collectively on the Playboy Mansion to show that Matthau wasn’t a “younger, sexually inexperienced naif” who was unfamiliar with “the methods of Hollywood.”
“They wish to painting her as this harmless lady however they don’t need me to ask about all of the enjoyable instances she spent frolicking within the grotto at Hugh Hefner’s mansion with Playboy bunnies,” Weinstein’s lawyer Mark Werksman stated about Matthau.
“Holly Madison had been down on her luck financially and used Hugh Hefner as a meal ticket,” he stated, noting their age distinction.
When Werksman insisted that he ought to be “entitled” to ask about Matthau’s relationship with Madison, deputy district lawyer Marlene Martinez stated “who she partied with has nothing to do together with her being assaulted … no matter friendship she has with Holly Madison has nothing to do together with her being assaulted.”
Decide Lisa B. Lench agreed with the prosecution, ruling towards Madison’s testimony.
Madison has been more and more vocal not too long ago about her unfavorable experiences as Hefner’s girlfriend, together with in interviews for the 2022 A&E docuseries “Secrets and techniques of Playboy.”
Lench later requested for extra time to consider whether or not the prosecution ought to be allowed to deliver up an alleged risk “to tug Ashley M. within the mud” from Weinstein lawyer Daniel Petrocelli, and a protection movement to introduce a letter from Ashley M. praising Weinstein.
“He’s teetering on turning into an ogre to the jury,” Werksman stated about Petrocelli.
“He’s already considered as pond scum and so they simply wish to add one other piece of scurrilous tripe,” he stated. “I’m begging the court docket to point out some restraint.”
Jury choice continued on Tuesday as Weinstein faces 11 counts of sexual assault towards 5 girls relationship between 2004 to 2013.
Virtually two dozen jurors had been excused on Tuesday, together with a lady whose daughter had been raped, two individuals who had somebody near them “endure related trauma,” a former associate at a legislation agency and somebody who was as soon as a non-union additional in a film.
Different jurors who had been excused voiced concern that Weinstein’s responsible verdict in New York, the place he was convicted of rape and sexual assault, might have an effect on their judgment on this trial.
“Have a look at the poor man, he was responsible in New York, why wouldn’t he be responsible right here?” one requested.
