Tearful Testimony: Model Kaja Sokola Recounts Alleged Encounter with Harvey Weinstein
Model Kaja Sokolan becomes emotionally overwhelmed, shedding tears in public. - Kaja Sokolan sheds tears in emotional outburst.
In the latest chapter of Harvey Weinstein's retrial, model Kaja Sokola, 33, broke down in tears as she took the stand. The aspiring actress claimed her "spirit was crushed" by the alleged assault. Weinstein is accused of coercing her into oral sex when she was just 19 years old in a hotel room back in 2006.
The Model's Accusations
Sokola, one of the key witnesses in the retrial, did not testify during Weinstein's initial trial. Contrasting the experiences of producer Miriam Haley, 48, and actress Jessica Mann, 39, Sokola's accusations were previously unheard in court. Weinstein's 2020 conviction was nullified in April 2024 when an appeals court found that the judge had inappropriately admitted testimony from other women unrelated to the charges.
Sokola first crossed paths with Weinstein in 2002, aiming to forge an acting career in the US and internationally. Under Weinstein's guidance, she landed an extra role in "The Nanny Diaries." During her testimony, Sokola stressed that her goal was simply to be truthful about her prospects as an actress, and she had no personal or sexual interest in Weinstein.
The alleged incident occurred in 2006 after a meeting at the Tribeca Grand Hotel involving Weinstein and Sokola's sister. Sokola attended the gathering to demonstrate her potential acting chops to her sister. Following lunch, Weinstein asked her to his hotel room to discuss a script. Sokola claimed he proceeded to force her onto the bed, strip her, and perform oral sex on her. "I pleaded for him to stop, I didn't want this, but he didn't listen," Sokola heartbreakingly recounted. According to her, she was incapable of moving due to Weinstein's weight.
The Fall and Rise of Harvey Weinstein
Once a dominant force in Hollywood, Harvey Weinstein now serves as a symbol of systemic abuse. Five years following his initial conviction, the New York retrial against the disgraced film mogul began in late April.
Weinstein, 73, is currently facing charges of rape and forcible sexual acts against three women. Like in his original trial, Weinstein maintains his innocence against all allegations.
- Harvey Weinstein
- Kaja Sokola
- Retrial
- Women
- New York
- The Hollywood Reporter
- Miriam Haley
- Jessica Mann
- Kaja Sokola, one of the key witnesses in Harvey Weinstein's retrial, claimed that her "spirit was crushed" by an alleged assault by Weinstein in 2006, an incident that was previously unheard in court.
- Sokola, a 33-year-old model, broke down in tears as she recalled the alleged incident, which occurred after a meeting at the Tribeca Grand Hotel involving Weinstein and Sokola's sister.
- In the retrial, Weinstein is facing charges of rape and forcible sexual acts against three women, including Sokola, Miriam Haley, and Jessica Mann.
- Sokola's allegations were not presented during Weinstein's initial trial in 2020, but his 2020 conviction was nullified in April 2024 when an appeals court found that the judge had inappropriately admitted testimony from other women unrelated to the charges.
- Sokola first crossed paths with Weinstein in 2002, aiming to forge an acting career in the US and internationally. Under Weinstein's guidance, she landed an extra role in "The Nanny Diaries."
