Testimony of Ex-Model Kaja Sokola Against Harvey Weinstein in NY Retrial
Model, formerly of Poland, provides testimony against Weinstein in New York courtroom. - Ex-Polish model provides testimony in a New York court, implicating Weinstein in legal proceedings
In the ongoing New York retrial of 73-year-old Harvey Weinstein, a polarizing figure in Hollywood, a new face emerges—Kaja Sokola, a former model from Poland. Sokola, now 39, accuses Weinstein of sexual assault and has provided testimony to support her claims.
The initial sentencing of Weinstein in 2020 for the sexual assault and rape of Miriam Haley and another unnamed woman saw him receive a 23-year prison term. However, the New York highest court overturned this verdict due to procedural errors, leading to the current retrial.
Sokola's Allegations
Weinstein is charged with assaulting Sokola in 2006 when she was 19. Although the acts he is alleged to have committed when she was 16 fall outside the statute of limitations, Sokola took the stand on Thursday to describe the incident in court.
Sokola's introduction to Weinstein dates back to 2002 when they met at a dinner in Manhattan, her first solo trip to the city. She felt "dazzled" when the much-older film producer approached her. Weinstein then invited her to lunch and took her to an apartment in Manhattan. There, he convinced her to undress under the pretext that she needed to do so to pursue an acting career. Despite her protestations, Weinstein conducted sexual acts on her.
When asked why she didn't report the incidents at the time, Sokola said she felt "humiliated" and "ashamed." "I thought it was all my fault," she said tearfully.
Sokola's testimony continues on Friday, shedding light on a second incident in 2006, where Weinstein reportedly lured her into a hotel room in Manhattan and forced her to have sex.
- Harvey Weinstein
- Kaja Sokola
- New York
- Manhattan
- Assault
- Miriam Haley
Background and Context
Sokola's modeling career began at 14, and she participated in photo shoots and fashion shows worldwide. Her aspiration for acting led her to Weinstein. The meeting took place at a New York nightclub in 2002. This encounter was pivotal as it marked the start of alleged abuse and coercion.
The retrial follows the overturning of Weinstein's original conviction in 2020 due to procedural errors. Sokola's allegations are now a crucial part of the retrial, providing new charges against Weinstein. The defense has claimed that all interactions were consensual and that Sokola sought to further her career. In contravention, Weinstein is currently serving a 16-year sentence in a California prison for related charges and denies any wrongdoing in the New York cases.
- Kaja Sokola testified against Harvey Weinstein during the New York retrial, accusing him of assaulting her in Manhattan in 2006.
- Miriam Haley was also a victim of Weinstein's sexual assault and rape, for which he was initially sentenced in 2020 to a 23-year prison term that was later overturned due to procedural errors.
- Although the alleged assaults on Sokola occurred when she was 16 and fall outside the statute of limitations, she took the stand to describe the incident in the retrial.
- Sokola's modeling career took off at the age of 14, and she met Weinstein through a chance encounter in a New York nightclub in 2002, which marked the start of the alleged abuse and coercion.
