Harvey Weinstein "intimidated" a manager when he checked in to the hotel in New York City where he allegedly raped Jessica Mann in 2013.
Rothschild Capulong took to the stand at Weinstein’s ongoing sexual assault trial in Manhattan on Wednesday (05.02.20) to give his version of the encounter he had with the 67-year-old movie producer on the morning of the alleged incident.
The overnight manager – who had been asked to man the front desk that day due to staffing issues – told that jury that he remembered checking Weinstein into the DoubleTree Hotel in Midtown at around 10am under the pseudonym "Max Poster."
He recalled: "Mr. Weinstein had an imposing attitude at the time of check-in. Basically he was trying to loom over and trying to rush the check-in process."
Mr Capulong confirmed that the man checking in to the hotel was definitely Weinstein as a note had been left under his reservation about his celebrity status.
He told the jury that he remembered a "slender and attractive" woman with Weinstein at the time but he wasn’t able to identify her.
He said: "From what I recall, they weren’t on the same page. It seemed like there was a discontent on one of the persons … the female … Usually couples checking in are in a happy mood. When they checked in, they just weren’t."
Mr Capulong became so suspicious of Weinstein’s behaviour at the front desk that he had left a note for security at the end of his shift to check his room.
He explained: "I specifically wrote that security might [want to] come and check Mr. Weinstein at the room."
Last week, Jessica, 34, took to the stand to allege she was raped by Weinstein in a hotel room, after the pair had previously been involved in a secret relationship.
Mann claimed their romance was never sexual, and she was trying to break up with Weinstein when the alleged incident occurred.
She told jurors: "I was panicked, because my worst nightmare was about to happen. I was very angry inside and very scared. I gave up at that point."
Mann also alleged Weinstein took medication for erectile dysfunction and discarded the needle in the hotel room bin.
She added: "I don’t remember the medical term [on the package], but when I Googled it, it basically implied [erectile dysfunction medication]."
When Mann returned to Los Angeles, she sent flatter emails to Weinstein, but claimed the notes were supposed to soothe his "fragile" ego, as she was scared of being assaulted a second time.
She explained: "I wanted to be perceived as innocent and naive and not a threat. I didn’t want to trigger his anger."
When asked if she meant the things she said in the emails, she added: "I would usually try to find something based in truth. I can’t answer that question with yes or no."
Mann also discussed her relationship with Weinstein, and alleged the producer was "manipulative" toward her.
She said: "I entered into what I thought was going to be a real relationship with him, and it was extremely degrading from that point on.
"The more I fought, the angrier he got. And then his anger scared me and I tried to calm down, and tried to joke. He said, ‘I’m not going to let you leave until I do something for you.’ He started manipulating me, like, ‘you accepted these invitations to my parties,’ stuff like that."
Weinstein is charged with five sex crimes, including rape and assault, stemming from encounters with Mann and another accuser, Miriam ‘Mimi’ Haleyi, who tearfully testified in court in January.
He has pleaded not guilty and denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex.
Harvey Weinstein ‘intimidated’ hotel staff before alleged rape
