The Insider:
Harvey Weinstein’s lead defense attorney, Donna Rotunno, calls herself the “ultimate feminist.”
She’s built her career defending men accused of rape.
She’s defending Weinstein against five felony counts of rape and sexual assault and has grilled his accusers during cross-examination.
Feminists and Weinstein accusers say they’ve been repulsed by her comments, accusing her of victim blaming.
Rotunno says women have fought for decades to be viewed as equal to men, and now they need to start taking on some of the responsibility that comes with it.
She presented the accuser, Jessica Mann, a 34-year-old hairstylist, with copies of an unpublished blog post that prosecutors recovered from her phone.
“You told the jury the threesome was horrifying because it was something you didn’t want to do,” Rotunno said. “I would like you to read the note from your phone to the ladies and gentlemen of the jury.”
“Do I have to?” Mann asked, turning her head toward Justice James Burke.
“Yes,” Rotunno said.
