Reuters People News Summary

Following is a summary of current people news briefs. Will having a lead female defense attorney help Harvey Weinstein? The jury is out

When Donna Rotunno agreed to represent former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein as lead defense attorney in his New York rape trial, she believed that her gender could prove to be an asset in the courtroom. Rotunno took the case in June 2019, two years after dozens of allegations against Weinstein fueled the #MeToo movement, in which hundreds of women accused powerful men in business and politics of sexual harassment or assault. Millions of people used the hashtag "#MeToo" to share their stories on social media and Hollywood celebrities began the "Times Up" campaign to fight sexual misconduct in the workplace. Judge refuses to remove himself after Weinstein's lawyers claim bias

Denying he was biased, the judge in Harvey Weinstein's rape trial on Thursday refused to remove himself from the high-profile case, rejecting an accusation by the former film producers' lawyers. "I have in no way prejudged this case," Justice James Burke told Weinstein's lawyers. "I am going to great lengths to afford your client a fair trial." Bill Cosby asks Pennsylvania top court to hear appeal on sex crime conviction

Lawyers for Bill Cosby on Thursday asked the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to hear his appeal of his 2018 sexual assault conviction, a month after a lower court rejected their argument that the disgraced comedian did not get a fair trial. Cosby, who played a beloved father figure on the 1980s TV hit "The Cosby Show," had been found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University administrator, at his Philadelphia home in 2004. Meghan returns to Canada as British royals seek to solve Harry rift

Meghan, the wife of Prince Harry, has gone back to Canada to be with their son after the couple provoked a rift with Britain's royal family by unexpectedly announcing they would be stepping back from their roles to spend more time in North America. Queen Elizabeth and other senior British royals were trying to calm the crisis by thrashing out a plan for Harry and Meghan after the couple blindsided the family by going public with their announcement without consultation. Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix join climate protesters outside U.S. Congress

Veteran activist and actor Jane Fonda was joined by fellow Hollywood stars Joaquin Phoenix and Martin Sheen at the foot of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Friday, where they demanded action on climate change alongside other protesters. "The climate crisis makes our nation and all nations less secure," said Fonda, sporting a red hat as she was cheered on by a crowd that included Sheen. Madame Tussauds removes waxworks of Harry and Meghan from royal family display

Madame Tussauds waxwork museum has removed the figures of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan from its British royal family display, in response to the couple's announcement that they will be stepping back from royal duties. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced on Wednesday that they intend to divide their time between North America and the UK to carve out a "progressive new role" and step back from their senior positions. 'Hope, Heartbreak and Hollywood Classics': Harvey Weinstein's trial reading

Harvey Weinstein's New York trial on rape charges is expected to last up to two months, and the former film producer appears to be planning on spending some of that time reading a biography about two brothers whose personal lives marred their Hollywood award-winning careers. As jury selection kicked off this week, Weinstein, 67, brought two books to court: "The Brothers Mankiewicz: Hope, Heartbreak and Hollywood Classics" and what appeared to be a vintage edition of Ken Follett's historic novel "The Pillars of the Earth."