The jury advised for days on the Harvey Weinstein trial. Now the decision is made. The jury found the ex-film mogul guilty – but not on all charges. Nevertheless, the 67-year-old must face a long prison sentence.
In the rape trial against Harvey Weinstein, the jury found the former Hollywood mogul guilty of sex crimes. The jury informed the New York Supreme Court after several days of deliberations. Weinstein now faces years of imprisonment. In the spectacular rape trial, the lay judge jury decided to sentence the 67-year-old to rape and sexual assault. Weinstein was not guilty on the most serious charge of the “predatory sexual attack” and the allegation of further rape. The sentence will be announced later by Judge James Burke.
The process is considered a milestone in the MeToo era triggered by the case. Weinstein had been charged in the trial, forced production assistant Mimi Haleyi oral sex in 2006 and raped young actress Jessica Mann in 2013. The former film mogul was handcuffed after the verdict was pronounced. He must remain in prison until Judge Burke’s sentence is pronounced on March 11.
Weinstein’s lawyers want to appeal against the decision. Chief defense lawyer Donna Rotunno announced appeals against the verdict after the conviction. “The fight is not over yet.” In an appeal process, Weinstein’s defense could, for example, target the role of the judge and portray him as biased in the conduct of his proceedings.
Defense gave complicity to witnesses
In the past few weeks, the public prosecutor’s office had tried using six key witnesses to disclose a pattern of Weinstein, sometimes in drastic detail – that of a man who systematically used his power in the film industry to make young women compliant; of a man who promised career help for women and forced them to have sex if they said no.
The defense, on the other hand, had given the witnesses complicity and portrayed Weinstein in a victim role. Women had exploited him for decades because of his influence and money and were aware of their actions and signals to him. All sex had taken place by mutual consent.
Right from the start, the trial had to fight against a possible prejudice against the accused because of the broad social debate and the intensive reporting in the past years. When selecting the jury at the beginning of the procedure, a striking number of potential candidates declared themselves to be biased from the start.
The jury deliberations dragged on for days. Messages to the court led to the conclusion that the jury had meanwhile disagreed on several charges. For Weinstein, the legal struggles have not ended even outside of the New York trial. In the meantime, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual offenses. In Los Angeles, he was also charged with rape and sexual assault. There could also be a process there.
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