A massage therapist confided in ‘friend’ Mel Gibson about alleged assault during massage with Harvey Weinstein

• A key Harvey Weinstein accuser testified within the disgraced Hollywood mogul’s LA trial this week.

• The lady, recognized as Jane Doe 3, initially saved the alleged assault to herself, she testified.

• However she ultimately disclosed the incident to an unlikely and well-known confidante: actor Mel Gibson.

Actor Mel Gibson as soon as performed the function of trusted confidante to one in all Harvey Weinstein’s accusers, the girl testified in court docket this week through the disgraced mogul’s felony trial on rape costs.

Los Angeles County prosecutors have charged Weinstein with 11 counts of sexual assault stemming from allegations by 5 completely different ladies who accused the one-time producer of abusing them in LA resorts between 2004 and 2013.

Weinstein is already serving a 23-year sentence in a New York jail following an East Coast trial however faces a further life sentence heading into the West Coast proceedings. He has denied the fees towards him and pleaded not responsible.

All 5 ladies are anticipated to testify towards Weinstein, in addition to 4 “prior dangerous acts witnesses,” whose testimony shouldn’t be immediately associated to the felony costs however may be thought of by the jury as prosecutors try to determine Weinstein’s alleged sample of conduct.

One of many key accusers within the case took the stand Wednesday the place she described the alleged assault. The lady, recognized as Jane Doe 3, labored as a therapeutic massage therapist who catered to high-profile and superstar shoppers, which is how she got here to be alone in a resort room with Weinstein in 2010, she testified, in line with the trial pool report.

After 40 minutes on the desk, Weinstein abruptly stopped the therapeutic massage, she testified, saying he was carried out. She went to the toilet to clean her palms when Weinstein barged in bare and commenced masturbating, she testified. Jane Doe 3 stated she requested him to go away, telling him his conduct was inappropriate.

“He stated, ‘Have a look at me, inform me how huge my cock is,'” she testified, in line with the pool report.

Story continues

He pushed her up towards a wall and began feeling her chest underneath her bra, she stated. Regardless of her pleas, Weinstein continued to the touch her and masturbate, she stated. Upon completion, he tried to play off the incident as regular, Jane Doe 3 testified, in line with the pool report.

For months, she stated she saved the assault to herself out of concern that talking up would affect her profession and entry to outstanding therapeutic massage shoppers. However she ultimately disclosed the alleged assault to an unlikely confidante.

Jane Doe 3 stated she was giving a therapeutic massage to actor Mel Gibson when he introduced up a film he is perhaps engaged on with Weinstein. She stated she started to “freak out,” asking how Gibson might need to work with Weinstein. When he requested about her response, she started crying and confided in him concerning the assault, she stated.

“He was the primary individual that I lastly opened up with about what occurred,” she stated, in line with the pool report. “I informed him that he sexually assaulted me, however I did not need to get into all the small print. I used to be embarrassed and humiliated.”

Gibson requested if she needed to name the police. He additionally steered she converse with one in all his feminine pals, she testified.

A consultant for Gibson didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark.

The prosecution has stated they plan to name Gibson as a witness within the case, however Weinstein’s protection lawyer stated he’ll name upon the actor’s personal checkered and antisemitic historical past ought to he take the stand.

Throughout cross-examination on Thursday, Weinstein’s lawyer Mark Werksman pushed Jane Doe 3 to clarify why she returned to therapeutic massage Weinstein a number of occasions after the preliminary incident and entered into discussions along with his publishing firm a couple of doable nude therapeutic massage e book.

“Your story is just like the US economic system, with an 8% inflation price,” Werksman stated. “You did not need to kill the e book deal and inform Weinstein, ‘Unhealthy boy, no extra massages,’ proper?”

Werksman claimed that Jane Doe 3’s story had modified over conferences with the Los Angeles County District Legal professional’s workplace and authorities between 2016 and 2020.

“That is one of many the reason why I did not need to come ahead,” she stated. “As a result of that is embarrassing.”

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