Opening Statements Set for Weinstein's Third NY Assault Trial

Opening statements in Harvey Weinstein's third criminal trial on a New York assault charge are scheduled to begin Tuesday, marking another chapter in the longtime Hollywood producer's legal battles over sexual misconduct allegations. The trial, unfolding in a Manhattan courtroom, centers on accusations that the 73-year-old Weinstein raped a woman in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Jury selection concluded Friday after four days of deliberations, resulting in a panel of seven men and five women. The jurors will hear testimony and evidence in a proceeding expected to last up to four weeks. Prosecutors allege that Weinstein forcibly assaulted the woman during a meeting at the hotel, while his defense maintains that any encounter was consensual and denies any criminal wrongdoing.

This trial represents Weinstein's latest effort to contest charges stemming from the #MeToo movement, which brought widespread attention to allegations against him a decade ago. Once an Oscar-winning powerhouse behind films like "Shakespeare in Love" and "The King's Speech," Weinstein has been incarcerated for six years amid multiple cases in New York and Los...