Ex-model takes the stand in Harvey Weinsteins retrial prior jury never heard about her

Days into Harvey Weinstein’s first sexual assault trial in 2020, prosecutors privately spoke for the first time with a former model who alleged that he had forced oral sex on her.But that jury was never told about Kaja Sokola’s claim.Prosecutors have said they still were investigating the allegation when Weinstein, a onetime movie tycoon-turned- #MeToo pariah, was convicted in February 2020 of charges based on other women’s accusations.On Wednesday, Sokola began to tell a new jury her story.Sokola didn’t look at Weinstein as she walked past him and onto the witness stand in a Manhattan courtroom where he’s on trial again.An appeals court overturned his 2020 rape and sexual assault conviction, sending those charges back for retrial, and prosecutors subsequently added another sexual assault charge based on Sokola’s allegations.As she began testifying about her life before the alleged 2006 assault, Weinstein looked toward her, with his right hand across his mouth.Weinstein, 73, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.His lawyers contend that his accusers consented to sexual encounters with him in hopes of getting movie and TV opportunities, and the defense has emphasized that the women stayed in contact with him for a while after the alleged assaults.The women, meanwhile, say the Oscar-winning producer used the prospect of show business work to prey on them.The Polish-born Sokola, 39, is a psychotherapist and author and said she recently launched a film production company.She sued Weinstein after industry whispers about his behavior toward women became a chorus of public accusations in 2017, fueling the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.Prosecutors have said Sokola eventually received $3.5 million in compensation.Sokola testified that she was never interested in modeling — but rather in acting and writing — but her mother and sister decided she should enter a Polish modeling contest at age 14.She won a contract with a modeling agency ...