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Shortly after taking the stand Wednesday to testify for the prosecution in Harvey Weinstein’s ongoing sex-crimes trial, social media influencer Claudia Salinas strongly denied the declare that she aided the fallen mogul in his predatory conduct, an allegation leveled at her by one in all his accusers.
“Harvey Weinstein was a enterprise acquaintance, that’s all he ever was,” Salinas informed The Each day Beast by way of textual content message Wednesday night. “I definitely wasn’t requested to be drawn into both of his trials and it was the final place I wished to be. Having stated that, I constantly informed the reality in each trials. Jane Doe 2’s allegations didn't maintain up underneath cross-examination as a result of clearly they're fiction.”
The Mexican mannequin and actress has now testified in each of Weinstein’s sex-crimes trials—every time denying that she lured and trapped one of many disgraced Hollywood producer’s accusers in a resort lavatory in 2013. Earlier this week, a girl recognized in courtroom as Jane Doe 2 informed Los Angeles Superior Court docket jurors that Salinas invited her to the Montague Lodge in February 2013 underneath the guise of assembly Weinstein to debate future job alternatives.
As an alternative, Jane Doe 2 alleges that she was introduced as much as Weinstein’s resort room earlier than Salinas trapped her inside a toilet with the toppled titan. As soon as inside the lavatory, she stated that Weinstein groped her and masturbated in entrance of her earlier than ejaculating on the ground.
The allegations mirror these she made at Weinstein’s New York trial in 2020—the place the now 70-year-old was convicted of comparable intercourse crimes. In that trial, the place Jane Doe 2 was an uncharged witness referred to as to assist prosecutors set up Weinstein’s predatory sample, Salinas additionally denied the allegations when she testified on behalf of the protection.
“It’s my second and hopefully my final ever expertise as a witness. It wasn’t precisely nice however I needed to testify, I needed to defend myself,” Salinas defined to the Beast. “My identify was utilized in a disparaging means. Jane Doe 2’s fiction saved altering and damaging me.”
Weinstein has pleaded not responsible to a number of costs in opposition to him, together with rape, after prosecutors allege he sexually assaulted 5 girls between 2003 and 2014. Prosecutors allege that for years, Weinstein used his affect in Hollywood to prey on younger girls—and guarantee their silence. Weinstein’s protection, nonetheless, insists that these allegations are false and that these girls knowingly have “transactional intercourse” with the previous producer for their very own profession achieve.
Salinas, who has not accused Weinstein of any wrongdoing, informed jurors on Wednesday that she first met the previous producer in 2003 whereas having dinner along with her mom in New York.
The 2 maintained a connection and he or she famous that she even starred in just a few of his movies, together with Soiled Dancing: Havana Nights. Like Jane Doe 2, Salinas stated she met the aspiring actress in 2012 and instantly hit it off.
“We turned associates, Fb associates. I don’t bear in mind if we frolicked,” Salinas stated.
Whereas she admitted that she remembered assembly with Jane Doe 2 on the Montage Lodge in February 2013, she insisted throughout cross-examination on Wednesday that she didn't enter a resort room or entice Jane Doe 2 inside a toilet.
“Did you ever stand exterior a toilet whereas Mr. Weinstein raped somebody inside?” protection legal professional Mark Werksman requested Salinas.
“Completely not,” she replied.
However Jane Doe 2 emotionally informed a distinct model of occasions to the jury, explaining how she was frozen with concern after Salinas allegedly trapped her contained in the resort room lavatory.
“This was a woman that I assumed was my new good friend,” Jane Doe 2 informed the jury on Monday. “So she gave me this look whereas she closed the door…I simply couldn’t imagine that she would try this to me. To a different woman. As a result of there’s a woman code. You don’t try this.”
After the assault, Jane Doe 2 stated that she shot Salinas “an evil look” as she rapidly excited the lavatory—and that the mannequin didn't say something to her. She did, in accordance with Jane Doe 2, “smirk..like she roped me in on one thing.”