Harvey Weinstein caught on cellphone tirades: potential juror
'On several occasions, I’ve seen him on the phone screaming at someone'
A potential juror in the rape and sexual assault trial of Harvey Weinstein recalled in court how he had seen the disgraced movie mogul on the streets of New York City – "screaming" while on the phone on repeated occasions, according to the New York Post.
"I don't know the defendant directly but I live across the street from the Tribeca Film Center, and I've seen him several times over the years," the man, who was not identified, told the outlet on Tuesday at Manhattan Supreme Court, where jury selection was in the middle of its sixth day.
"On several occasions, I've seen him on the phone screaming at someone."
The man argued that his experiences prevented him from being a fair juror, according to the report. Judge James Burke stopped him from providing any more details that could have potentially had a negative impact on the pool of other potential jurors.
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Harvey Weinstein, center, leaves court for the day on Tuesday in New York. Jury selection continues Wednesday. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
More than 30 people of 110 Tuesday said they couldn't be fair if asked to sit on a trial expected to last at least six weeks and to feature testimony from six women who say there were victimized by Weinstein. It wasn't disclosed how many of those claiming bias were dismissed.
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Hundreds of people have been summoned for the initial screening process. Dozens have qualified for a second round of questioning set for Thursday, but some – such as supermodel Gigi Hadid, who emerged as a potential juror on Monday – could still be eliminated in advance of that based on how they have answered written questionnaires.
Hadid and Weinstein. (Reuters)
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Hadid acknowledged on Monday that she had previously met the 67-year-old filmmaker, as well as potential witness Salma Hayek. She told the court she believed she could still "keep an open mind on the facts."
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About 120 prospective jurors are being summoned to court each day. Last week, they were introduced as a group to Weinstein and were read a list of names that could come up at trial, including actresses Salma Hayek, Charlize Theron and Rosie Perez. Several other accusers have said they plan to attend the trial, which could last about four weeks once a jury is picked. Approximately 100 accusers have detailed their own allegations of sexual misconduct, according to The Cut.
Actor Rose McGowan, right, speaks at a news conference as actor Rosanna Arquette, center left, listens outside a Manhattan courthouse Jan. 6. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Weinstein, 67, is accused of raping a woman in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and sexually assaulting another in 2006. If convicted, he could face life in prison. The former studio boss behind such Oscar winners as "Pulp Fiction" and "Shakespeare in Love" has said any sexual activity was consensual.
Both sides hope to deliver opening statements before the end of the month. The trial is expected to last into March.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.