Former “Project Runway” production assistant Miriam Haley stormed out of a New York criminal courtroom Friday, moments after breaking down in tears and cursing on the stand during her fourth day at Harvey Weinstein’s sex crimes retrial.
Haley, 48, was about 30 minutes into her testimony when Weinstein’s lawyer Jennifer Bonjean began grilling her on what she was wearing the night she alleges Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her at his SoHo home in July 2006. She had previously testified that, weeks later, Weinstein raped her in a Tribeca hotel room.
"He took my clothes off … I didn’t take my clothes off," Haley testified about the apartment incident. “He was the one who raped me, not the other way.”
"That’s for the jury to decide," Bonjean responded, escalating the exchange.
As tears began to stream down her face, Haley stressed it was her experience and yelled: "Don’t tell me I wasn’t raped by that f–--ing a–--hole!"
The outburst prompted Haley to request a break, which Judge Curtis Farber allowed. The jurors were sent out of the courtroom for a 10-minute recess before Haley briskly walked out through a side door.
When court resumed Friday afternoon, Haley was not crying as Bonjean once again began to question her about the clothes she was wearing and how they were removed.
"I did not remove my clothes," she responded. "I was on my period … I did not remove my clothes."
This is the second time that Haley has faced Weinstein in criminal court. In 2020, Haley testified in Weinstein’s first trial, which resulted in a landmark 2020 conviction that was overturned last year.
"He put his mouth on my vagina, before and after he pulled out the tampon, he put his mouth on my vagina forcefully," Haley testified earlier this week about the 2006 encounter. "I was mortified, I was embarrassed, in disbelief."
Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty to one count of engaging in a criminal sex act in connection with Haley’s allegations that he forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006. He is also charged with one count of third-degree rape in connection with an alleged assault on actress Jessica Mann, who is expected to testify, in 2013.
He is also facing a charge in connection with the alleged 2006 assault of a Polish former model named Kaja Sokola, who is expected to testify.
"He knew how addictive Hollywood dreams were," Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lucey said during opening statements, alleging that Weinstein used his power to lure young women. "He knew how the promises of success worked."
Weinstein has denied all allegations, and his lawyers argued the sexual encounters with the accusers were all "transactional" and "consensual."
