Film producer Harvey Weinstein departs his sexual assault trial at New York Criminal Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 21, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidNEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors will begin presenting their rape case against Harvey Weinstein on Wednesday, with the once-powerful Hollywood producer facing life in prison if convicted, in a trial that has become a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement.Lawyers will make their opening statements to a jury of seven men and five women in a Manhattan courthouse.Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two women. The other, who has not been identified, was raped by Weinstein in 2013, alleges the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which brought the case.The prosecutors further allege that Weinstein raped another woman, actress Annabella Sciorra, in the 1990s. Weinstein’s lawyers countered that their goal was to select a fair jury, citing specific reasons for excluding the women.The state needs a unanimous jury to convict. While lawyers representing at least 28 women have agreed to a proposed $25 million settlement of those civil claims, a lawyer for one woman has criticized the deal as unfair.

Source: Egypt Today January 22, 2020 13:30 UTC