CNN
—
Disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein was discovered responsible Monday of rape and sexual assault towards one in every of 4 ladies he was accused of assaulting in Los Angeles – a major conviction within the second trial of a person on the middle of allegations that fueled the worldwide #MeToo motion.
Weinstein, who prosecutors stated used his Hollywood affect to lure ladies into non-public conferences and assault them, was discovered responsible of three of seven costs towards him.
After weeks of emotional testimony and 10 days of deliberations, jurors in Los Angeles additionally acquitted Weinstein of 1 rely of sexual battery by restraint towards a therapeutic massage therapist in a resort room in 2010. They have been a hung jury on one rely of sexual battery by restraint, one rely of forcible oral copulation and one rely of rape associated to 2 different ladies – together with Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker and first companion to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The three costs Weinstein was convicted of – rape, sexual penetration by overseas object and forcible oral copulation – have been all tied to one in every of his accusers, a mannequin and actress who testified the film mogul assaulted her in a Beverly Hills resort room in February 2013.
The girl, recognized as Jane Doe 1 in courtroom, was the primary to testify within the trial.
“Harvey Weinstein ceaselessly destroyed part of me that evening in 2013. I’ll by no means get that again. The prison trial was brutal. Weinstein’s attorneys put me by way of hell on the witness stand. However I knew I needed to see this by way of the top, and I did… I hope Harvey Weinstein by no means sees the surface of a jail cell throughout his lifetime,” Jane Doe 1 stated in an announcement launched by way of her legal professional.
Weinstein had pleaded not responsible to all seven costs towards him.
“Harvey is clearly disillusioned, nevertheless hopefully as a result of with this specific accuser there are good floor to attraction based mostly on time and placement of alleged occasions,” Weinstein’s spokesperson Juda Engelmayer stated in an announcement. “He’s grateful the jury took their time to deliberate on the opposite counts and he’s ready to proceed preventing for his innocence.”
Weinstein faces a potential sentence of 24 years in jail for the Los Angeles conviction, in response to the Los Angeles District Legal professional’s Workplace. The once-powerful movie producer is already serving a 23-year sentence for a 2020 New York rape conviction.
Jurors will return to courtroom Tuesday to contemplate aggravating components to assist decide the result of Weinstein’s sentencing listening to, in response to the DA’s workplace.
Elizabeth Fegan, an legal professional representing Siebel Newsom, who was recognized in courtroom as Jane Doe 4, stated they have been disillusioned that the jury couldn’t attain a unanimous verdict on the costs associated to her shopper.
“My shopper, Jane Doe 4, shared her story not with an expectation to testify however to assist all of the survivors who bravely got here ahead. Whereas we’re heartened that the jury discovered Weinstein responsible on among the counts, we’re disillusioned that the jury couldn’t attain a unanimous verdict on Jane Doe 4. She’s going to proceed to struggle for all ladies and all survivors of abuse towards a system that allows the sufferer to be shamed and re-traumatized within the title of justice,” Fegan stated in an announcement to CNN.
The Los Angeles jury reached their verdict after deliberating for a complete of 41 hours – longer than the New York jury in Weinstein’s first prison trial, wherein he was convicted of prison intercourse act and third-degree rape after 26 hours of deliberations. His attorneys have appealed that conviction, which put extra consideration on the result of the trial in Los Angeles.
Jane Doe 2, who was recognized as Lauren Younger, instructed her legal professional Gloria Allred by cellphone that she was pleased that Weinstein was convicted on some counts regardless of there being a mistrial on her rely, Allred stated in a information convention after the decision.
“I’m relieved that Harvey Weinstein has been convicted as a result of he deserves to be punished for the crimes that he dedicated, and he can not use his energy to intimidate and sexually assault extra ladies,” Younger stated in an announcement learn by Allred.
The weekslong trial noticed emotional testimony from Weinstein’s accusers – a mannequin, a dancer, a therapeutic massage therapist and Siebel Newsom – all of whom have been requested to recount the main points of their allegations towards him, present particulars of conferences with the producer from years in the past, and clarify their reactions to the alleged assaults.
Weinstein initially confronted 11 costs, however 4 counts linked to an unnamed girl have been dropped with out clarification. She didn’t testify within the trial.
In closing arguments, Los Angeles County Deputy District Legal professional Marlene Martinez referred to as Weinstein a “titan” who used his energy in Hollywood to prey on and silence ladies.
“Rapists rape. You’ll be able to take a look at the sample,” fellow prosecutor Paul Thompson instructed jurors.
In the meantime, Weinstein’s attorneys maintained the allegations have been both fabricated or occurred consensually as a part of a “transactional relationship” with the film producer, repeatedly saying there isn’t any proof of assault.
Protection legal professional Alan Jackson referred to as the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
The trial in Los Angeles additionally included testimony from different witnesses, together with consultants, legislation enforcement, mates of accusers and former aides to Weinstein.
Moreover, 4 ladies testified they have been subjected to comparable habits by Weinstein in different jurisdictions.
Every morning at trial, Weinstein was introduced from a correctional facility and wheeled into the Los Angeles courtroom carrying a swimsuit and tie and holding a composition pocket book.
His accusers all started their oftentimes emotional testimonies by figuring out him within the courtroom as he seemed on.
“He’s carrying a swimsuit, and a blue tie and he’s watching me,” Siebel Newsom stated final month, earlier than what was some of the emotional moments of the trial. She testified that Weinstein raped her in a resort room in 2005.
Through the trial, protection legal professional Jackson requested jurors if they may “settle for what (the Jane Does) say as gospel,” arguing what they stated was a scarcity of forensic proof supporting their declare.
“5 phrases that sum up the whole thing of the prosecution’s case: ‘Take my phrase for it,’” Jackson stated. “‘Take my phrase for it that he confirmed up at my resort room unannounced. Take my phrase for it that I confirmed up at his resort room. Take my phrase for it that I didn’t consent. Take my phrase for it, that I stated no.’ “
Siebel Newsom described an hourslong “cat-and-mouse interval,” which preceded her alleged assault. She, like different accusers, described feeling “frozen” that day.
Attorneys for Weinstein don’t deny the incident occurred, however stated he believed it was consensual.
Jackson referred to as the incident “consensual, transactional intercourse,” including: “Remorse will not be the identical factor as rape. And it’s necessary we make that distinction on this courtroom.”
In her closing arguments, Martinez highlighted the ladies who testified selected to take action regardless of realizing they might face robust situations in courtroom.
“The reality is that, as you sit right here, we all know the despicable habits the defendant engaged in. He thought he was so {powerful} that individuals would … excuse his habits,” Martinez stated. “That’s simply Harvey being Harvey. That’s simply Hollywood. And for thus lengthy that’s what everybody did. Everybody simply turned their heads.”
