Overview

• Kaja Sokola testified that Weinstein sexually assaulted her at age 16 in his Manhattan apartment in 2002, describing it as the most horrifying experience of her life at that time.
• Sokola stated that Weinstein used his Hollywood influence, citing stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Penélope Cruz, to pressure her into silence and compliance with his demands.
• Weinstein is charged with forcibly performing oral sex on Sokola at a Manhattan hotel in 2006 when she was around her 20th birthday, a key focus of this retrial.
• The retrial follows the overturning of Weinstein's 2020 conviction due to procedural errors, with Sokola testifying publicly against him for the first time.
• Weinstein has pleaded not guilty, with his defense arguing that his interactions with accusers were consensual and career-related negotiations.