Harvey Weinstein’s defense called the first witness to the stand Thursday as the disgraced movie producer is in court facing numerous sexual assault charges.
The first witness summoned was Paul Feldsher, a former consultant of Miramax Productions, according to a report published by Page Six. Feldsher was called to the stand to corroborate the alleged consensual sex between Weinstein and actress Annabella Sciorra.
Harvey Weinstein arrives to the Manhattan Criminal Court, on January 31, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)
Feldsher confirmed the account, but also claimed that Weinstein was a sex addict and aggressive after prosecutors brought up a text conversation between the former consultant and Weinstein from November of 2018. Feldsher claimed Weinstein was “voracious” with “girls,” according to Page Six.
“I meant that it was my understanding for a very long time that Harvey had a sex addiction and that he dated a lot of women,” Feldsher told jurors. (RELATED: Harvey Weinstein’s Defense Expected To Take The Stage As Prosecution Rests)
“Then you go on to say, ‘if a lot of these girls had been my daughter, I’d want to beat the sh*t out of you.’ Is that right?” the prosecutor reportedly asked.
“That’s correct,” Feldsher responded, according to Page Six.
“Um, I think I was trying — I mean, obviously, because any of — the thought of my child, my daughter is 13, so the thought of anyone, anything in that context I find abhorrent at this point,” he added.
“And I guess I was trying to put into context — look, I was trying to be a friend and to say I know the extremes of your personality,” Feldsher continued. “I know the extremes of your appetite. But I did not believe that he was capable of the thing that he had been charged with.”
As previously reported, Weinstein is currently on trial for two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual acts and two counts of rape. He faces life in prison.
Weinstein has also been indicted in a separate case in Los Angeles.