Harvey Weinstein’s Second Sex Crime Trial Begins In LA

IT IS MORE IMPORTANT– PLACES MORE ATTENTION ON THIS TRIAL. >> TONIGHT, HARVEY WEINSTEIN FACING JUSTICE AGAIN. HIS SECOND TRIAL NOW UNDERWAY IN THE CITY WHERE HE WANTS RAIN AS HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY. >> THIS DAY IS LONG OVERDUE FOR MISTER WEINSTEIN TO APPEAR IN A LOS ANGELES COUNTY COURTROOM. >> THIS COMES FIVE YEARS AFTER BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM IGNITED THE ME TO MOVEMENT. 11 COUNTS OF AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MULTIPLE SURVIVORS ARE EXPECTED TO TESTIFY INCLUDING THE WIFE OF CURRENT CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM. WEINSTEIN HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE PLEADING NOT GUILTY IN LA AND NEW YORK WHERE HE WAS CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS IN PRISON FOR RAPE. HE WAS EXTRADITED TO LA LAST SUMMER AND THIS TRIAL TAKES ON MORE SIGNIFICANCE SINCE HE WAS GRANTED AN APPEAL IN NEW YORK AND AUGUST.

TO BE TAKEN UP NEXT YEAR. >> WEINSTEIN HAS JUST A GLIMMER OF A HOPE OF GETTING HIS NEW YOUR CONVICTION OVERTURNED AND IF THAT HAPPENS HE'S BACK TO 0 YEARS IN PRISON AND THE LA TRIAL MAY BE THE ONLY TRIAL THAT CAN HOLD HIM CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE. THE LA TRIAL INVOLVES DIFFERENT VICTIMS, DIFFERENT INTERESTS, DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, DIFFERENT VINDICATION. >> WE SPOKE WITH ONE ACTRESS WHO ACCUSED WEINSTEIN OF SEXUALLY HARASSING AND ASSAULTING HER IN THE MID-90s AND IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE LA TRIAL.

>> WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE APPEAL I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT ACTUALLY. IT WAS DEVASTATING. I WAS SO UPSET AND HORRIFIED. >> WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU AS A SURVIVOR TO SEE HIM HERE ON TRIAL IN LA? >> IT'S VERY PERSONAL AND IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE A HOLLYWOOD RECKONING. IT IS SUCH A PREVALENT THING IN HOLLYWOOD AND POWERFUL MEN WERE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH IT.

THERE WERE WOMEN THAT WERE HARMED EVERYWHERE AND I FEEL THERE ARE SO MUCH AT STAKE. >> LAWYERS WERE DENIED A DELAY OF TRIAL AFTER ARGUING THE UPCOMING RELEASE OF THE MOVIE COULD INFLUENCE THE POOL. >> THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY RELEASES STATEMENTS TO NBC NEWS WRITING, I WANT TO ASSURE THAT EVERY VICTIM IN LOS ANGELES THAT HOLDING SEXUAL ASSAILANTS ACCOUNTABLE NO MATTER WEALTH OR STATUS IS A PRIORITY IN MY OFFICE. >> HAVING GONE THROUGH WHAT YOU DID, DO YOU EVER EXPECT TO SEE THE CULTURE SHIFT THAT WE HAVE HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFETIME? >> I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT IT DID HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME.

THE COURT CASES WILL HOPEFULLY SET THE STAGE FOR FUTURE CASES FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. >> WE ARE JOINED LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TRIAL FIRST AND THE PROSECUTION WILL HAVE SOME LEGAL CHALLENGES HERE? >> YES. IT COULD TURN FIVE WOMEN WITH ALLEGATIONS DATING AS FAR BACK AS 2004, DECADE-OLD CLAIMS CAN BE HARD FOR PROSECUTION AND LAWYERS TO FACT CHECK AND THE PROSECUTION IS BRINGING IN WHAT ARE CALLED PRIOR BAD ACTS WHICH IS EVIDENCE NOT TESTIFIED TO BY ACCUSERS THEMSELVES.

THE EVIDENCE IS LIMITED AND IS EASY TO BE CHALLENGED. IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH THE COSBY'S CASE AND THE NEW YORK APPEAL. THE TRIAL IN LA IS EXPECTED TO LAST TWO MONTHS. >> SO IT HAS BEEN ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD FOR THE #METOO MOVEMENT. YOU SPOKE TO A VICTIM. WHAT DOES SHE SPEAK ABOUT IT AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN? >> WE HEARD HER REACT SAYING SHE'S GRATEFUL THAT IT HAPPENED IN HER LIFETIME BUT SHE SAYS THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. THE FACT THAT TRIALS ARE ONGOING FOR HIGH PROFILE NAMES LIKE KEVIN SPACEY AND OTHERS, AND AT THE SAME TIME IT'S PROMISING FOR HER AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO. BUT ACCORDING TO AN ANTI-SEXUAL VIOLENCE.