Several days into the inaugural sexual assault trial of Harvey Weinstein in 2020, prosecutors engaged for the first time in a clandestine conversation with a former model who accused him of coercing her into oral sex.
However, the jury was never privy to Kaja Sokola’s allegation. Prosecutors remarked that investigations into her claims were ongoing during Weinstein’s February 2020 conviction, which was primarily founded on the testimonies of other accusers.
Recently, Sokola commenced her narrative before a new jury, as reported by the Associated Press.
As she approached the witness stand in a Manhattan courtroom, Sokola deliberately averted her gaze from Weinstein, who has seen his previous rape and sexual assault conviction overturned by an appellate court, prompting a retrial that now includes additional charges based on her allegations.
While recounting her life prior to the purported 2006 assault, Sokola noticed Weinstein observing her with his hand shielding his mouth.
Weinstein, aged 73, continues to maintain a plea of not guilty across all charges. His defense team posits that the accusers engaged consensually, motivated by aspirations of securing roles in the entertainment industry, highlighting that many maintained contact with him long after the alleged incidents.
Conversely, the women assert that Weinstein exploited the allure of cinematic opportunities to manipulate and victimize them.
The Polish-born Sokola, now 39, is a psychotherapist and author who recently inaugurated her own film production company. Following a surge of allegations against Weinstein that ignited the #MeToo movement in 2017, she pursued legal action, ultimately obtaining $3.5 million in compensation.
Testifying, Sokola revealed her initial disinterest in modeling—her true passions lay in acting and writing—yet her mother and sister compelled her to participate in a Polish modeling competition at the tender age of 14, leading to an agency contract that entangled her in the demands of a burgeoning career during middle school.
The following two years constituted a rapid evolution into adulthood, culminating in her arrival in New York at the age of 16, embarking on the modeling circuit without familial support.
Expected to continue her testimony, Sokola has yet to be questioned regarding the specifics of her encounter with Weinstein, whom she first met during her 2002 trip to New York for modeling endeavors.
Her lawsuits assert that following their initial meeting, Weinstein invited her to lunch under the guise of career discussion, only to subsequently assault her. The allegations encompass prolonged harassment and emotional abuse extending over several years.
The criminal charge pertains to a singular incident in which Sokola alleges Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex upon her in a Manhattan hotel during May 2006, following his orchestration of her role as an extra in “The Nanny Diaries.”
As she attempted to impress her visiting sister during this encounter, her sister remarked that Sokola’s demeanor upon her return was marked by tension, akin to that of someone awaiting critical academic results or the outcome of the Oscars.
Dr. Ewa Sokola expressed her shock upon discovering the allegations over a decade later through a magazine article.
Weinstein’s counsel will soon have the opportunity to interrogate Sokola. They have previously raised questions regarding the lengthy interval before her accusations surfaced, while prosecutors emphasize that the fear engendered by Weinstein’s preeminence and influence dissuaded many victims from speaking up.
Investigations into Sokola’s claims commenced when her attorneys approached prosecutors on the eve of Weinstein’s initial trial. However, inquiries were shelved following his conviction and the onset of the pandemic.
The investigation into Sokola’s allegations was rekindled after the highest court in New York annulled Weinstein’s conviction.
Weinstein’s legal team endeavored, albeit unsuccessfully, to exclude Sokola’s allegations from the retrial, claiming prosecutors illicitly introduced additional charges to reinforce other accusers’ credibility.
Another accuser, Miriam Haley, testified last week regarding similar misconduct by Weinstein in 2006. The third accuser, Jessica Mann, is anticipated to provide testimony in the near future.
Vocabulary List:
- Allegation /ˌæləˈɡeɪʃən/ (noun): A claim or assertion that someone has done something illegal or wrong typically one made without proof.
- Coerce /koʊˈɜːrs/ (verb): To persuade an unwilling person to do something by using force or threats.
- Testimony /ˈtɛstəˌmoʊni/ (noun): A formal statement usually given in a court of law where a witness speaks about what they know or have experienced.
- Exploitation /ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃən/ (noun): The action of making use of and benefiting from resources or a situation often in an unfair or selfish way.
- Manipulate /məˈnɪpjʊleɪt/ (verb): To handle or control a tool mechanism etc. typically in a skillful manner; to control or influence someone or something cleverly or unscrupulously.
- Surge /sɜrdʒ/ (noun): A sudden powerful forward or upward movement often in reference to a sudden increase in something.
