NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� ‘s accuser struggled on the witness stand at his rape Thursday after being confronted with a previously undisclosed, soul-searching note she wrote to herself two days after the alleged assault in 2013. Court ended early for the day.
Jessica Mann straightforwardly answered questions about the missive, in which she described becoming 鈥渆motionally attached鈥� to someone and wanting a loving partnership. Weinstein鈥檚 defense pointed out that she wrote nothing about having allegedly been raped.
Court wrapped up for the day, about 45 minutes earlier than planned. Mann is due back Friday for a fifth day.
Thursday’s early end came after questions turned to the alleged assault in a Manhattan hotel room, and Mann said she was feeling 鈥渟pacey鈥� from the difficulty of testifying. The court took a break, but soon after Mann returned, she said she felt 鈥渄issociated鈥� and sensed she wasn鈥檛 hearing properly because of stress. The 40-year-old later told the judge she hadn鈥檛 gotten much sleep.
It’s the third time Mann has testified against Weinstein, 73. He was initially , but an appeals court for reasons unrelated to her testimony. The jury at his first retrial, last year, the rape charge.
Mann, a hairstylist and actor, the two had a consensual, on-again-off-again sexual relationship. She alleges it degenerated into rape in New York in March 2013 and again some months later in Beverly Hills, California. Weinstein has never been charged with any crime related to the California allegation.
鈥淗e just treated me like he owned me,鈥� Mann this week.
Weinstein鈥檚 lawyers maintain that everything that happened between the two was consensual and part of a supportive, caring relationship. They say Mann benefited from associating with an Oscar-winning producer, only later accusing him after allegations about him against sexual misconduct. He .
The sketchy, journal-like note that came up in court Thursday was written on March 20, 2013. Mann had just returned to her Los Angeles home from New York, where she says Weinstein forced himself on her. She had gone on to see him socially, at one point marking his March 19 birthday by having tea with him and his daughter.
In the missive, Mann mused about budding feelings of attachment in a nonexclusive relationship with a man she didn’t name. She reflected on how she wanted a mutual and loving relationship and said her feelings toward the unnamed man were creating inner conflict for her. She talked about questioning the 鈥渨oulds and would nots鈥� she had set for herself.
After describing fears of rejection, and being a 鈥�’bad’ person,鈥� she appealed for God’s guidance.
鈥淚 know that I was struggling with some of the decisions I was making that were different than what I was raised with,鈥� Mann explained in court, adding that there was 鈥渁 lot going on at this time in my life.”
Emphasizing a passage about seeking love and freedom, she testified that 鈥淚 was feeling very controlled.鈥�
Through questions, Weinstein attorney suggested that the note reflected Mann’s feelings about being involved with the then-married Weinstein.
It’s been clear through three trials that those feelings were .
Mann testified Wednesday that despite the alleged rape, she loved 鈥渁 part of him鈥� because Weinstein could be kind and encouraging about her personal struggles and professional dreams, and that the two had 鈥渟ome pretty human moments鈥� together.
鈥淲hat did he do for you that made parts of you really love him?鈥� Geragos asked.
鈥淚t was the validation,鈥� Mann said.
When Geragos went on to ask about the 鈥渉uman moments,” Mann said she once slapped Weinstein, thinking he was inviting it as sex play, but that he later told her, 鈥淛ess, that’s not you.鈥�
鈥淪o when you were talking about the validation that you received 鈥� and the human moments that you shared with Harvey, it was that you slapped him?鈥� Geragos asked.
Mann said she instead was referring to his remark that 鈥渢hat’s not you.鈥�
Mann and Weinstein met at a Los Angeles-area party around early 2013. At the time, she was a financially struggling but aspiring to make it big in show business.
The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they agree to be named, as Mann has done.
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