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A New York Times spokesperson said Friday that Donna Rotunno recorded her episode of the paper\u2019s \u201cThe Daily\u201d podcast on Jan. 28, in direct contradiction to what she told a judge in court.<\/p>\n
The episode premiered Friday morning and instantly started trending on Twitter because of comments Rotunno, a defense lawyer for Harvey Weinstein, made about sexual assault victims. During a hearing on Friday morning, Rotunno said that she had recorded the podcast before the trial judge\u2019s Jan. 6 order that the defense team \u201cleave the witnesses alone\u201d and avoid interviews.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe interview was taped on January 28 and aired on Feb. 7,\u201d a spokesperson for the Times told TheWrap via email.<\/p>\n
Also Read:<\/strong> Weinstein Lawyer Donna Rotunno Sparks Outrage by Saying She’s Never Put Herself in a ‘Position’ to Be Assaulted<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s calling our witnesses liars,\u201d Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi said after the jury was dismissed for the day Friday. \u201cIt is completely in contradiction to your order, so, Judge, we are asking for you to order the defense to cease and desist any discussion about this case.\u201d<\/p>\n Rotunno replied that the interview was taped a while ago, before Judge James Burke ordered the defense team to \u201cleave the witnesses alone\u201d during the trial\u2019s opening day. She said she had \u201cno idea\u201d it would be released today.<\/p>\n \u201cI got called this morning when a friend of mine heard it,\u201d Rotunno said. \u201cI have not spoken to anyone [for interviews] since we started this case.\u201d<\/p>\n A rep for Weinstein told TheWrap, \u201cMs. Rotunno had no intention to misrepresent the date, as lately the days bleed together. It happened on a day when the judge ended very early. Donna Rotunno would never intentionally mislead, and never once did she talk about any individual.\u201d<\/p>\n Also Read:<\/strong> Harvey Weinstein’s Lawyer Says Number of Accusers ‘Helps’ Mogul in Criminal Trial (Video)<\/p>\n During the interview, after being asked if she had even been sexually assaulted, Rotunno responded by saying she has never \u201cput\u201d herself in the \u201cposition\u201d to be sexually assaulted.<\/p>\n Listeners to the New York Times\u2019 \u201cThe Daily<\/a>\u201d used Twitter to\u00a0respond<\/a>, tweeting \u201cNO ONE puts themself in that position,\u201d and noting they audibly\u00a0gasped<\/a>\u00a0at her comments.<\/p>\n Her client, a former Hollywood producer who pleaded not guilty at his first indictment in August, faces five felony counts: two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of first-degree criminal sexual assault, one count of first-degree rape and one count of third-degree.<\/p>\n Read original story New York Times Disputes Weinstein Lawyer\u2019s Claim She Did Podcast Interview Before the Trial Began At TheWrap<\/p>\n<\/div>\n