Actor Mel Gibson can be called to testify against Harvey Weinstein in the trial in which the former film producer will be tried for rape in Los Angeles, a judge in the United States decided on Friday, according to the American magazine Variety, cited by Agerpres. .

Prosecutors in Los Angeles wanted to arraign Mel Gibson to confirm allegations made by an unnamed woman nicknamed “Jane Doe 3” who claims Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her after giving her a massage at in his hotel room in 2010.

According to Assistant District Attorney Marlene Martinez, the woman then confessed to Mel Gibson during another massage session, and the star’s testimony could support the allegations she made in court.

Judge Lisa B. Lench allowed Los Angeles prosecutors to call Mel Gibson to testify. At the same time, the judge rejected a request by Weinstein’s lawyers to ask Mel Gibson questions about his past racist and anti-Semitic remarks. The lawyers will still be able to ask Mel Gibson if he has a grudge against the former Hollywood producer.

Harvey Weinstein criticized Mel Gibson’s film

Defense attorneys say Mel Gibson has a grudge against Harvey Weinstein that dates back to the release of The Passion of the Christ, which received three Oscar nominations but was also criticized for anti-Semitic themes. Later, Harvey Weinstein published the book “Perspectives on the Passion of the Christ”, in which he criticized this film.

“It caused a falling out between Mr. Gibson and Mr. Weinstein,” claimed Mark Werksman, one of the Hollywood producer’s former lawyers.

Lawyer Mark Werksman also said that Mel Gibson “is now trying to rehabilitate his public image by becoming a supporter of the #MeToo movement.”

What the victim told Mel Gibson

According to lawyers, Mel Gibson told investigators that Jane Doe 3 was having a “post-traumatic stress reaction” when he said the name “Harvey” during a massage session. Mel Gibson then spoke about Harvey Weinstein in the context of a discussion about a film project.

The woman stopped the massage session, began to cry and “gave Mel Gibson the impression that Weinstein had sexually assaulted her,” said attorney Mark Werksman.

The same lawyer also said the court should allow him to meet with Mel Gibson about the actor’s anti-Semitic comments after his arrest in 2006, as well as his anti-Semitic comments about actress Winona Ryder and other racist remarks.

Judge Lisa B. Lench finally decided to allow lawyers to ask Mel Gibson a series of questions about the feud between him and Harvey Weinstein.

Why Harvey Weinstein is accused

Then the judge allowed the lawyers to use in their arguments in court the title of the book “Nude Massage”, which “Jane Doe 3” wanted to publish with the help of Harvey Weinstein.

A Los Angeles court spent the first part of Friday hearing “Jane Doe 1,” the Italian model who claims she was raped by Harvey Weinstein at the Mr C. Hotel during the Los Angeles Italian Film Festival in February 2013.

Between 2004 and 2013, Harvey Weinstein was accused of 11 sexual assaults against five women.

The disgraced Hollywood mogul is already serving a 23-year prison sentence after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in a New York trial that ended in 2020.

New York’s highest court has agreed to hear the former film producer’s appeal, but a possible sentence in Los Angeles, where he faces up to 140 years in prison, will guarantee that Harvey Weinstein will spend the rest of his life behind bars.