Harvey Weinstein found guilty of second-degree sex crimes in his trial
Harvey Weinstein, an ex-Hollywood film mogul, was found guilty of three counts including rape of sexual assault in Los Angeles.
The trial lasted two months and revealed how Weinstein used his influence on women to get them into private meetings, before attacking them.
When sentenced, the 70-year-old could spend up to 24 years behind bars.
He has already served 23 years of his sentence after being convicted of rape in New York in 2012.
Weinstein was convicted Monday of rape, and two counts of sexual assault against Jane Doe 1, in order to preserve her anonymity.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom was the wife of Governor Gavin Newsom and a Jane Doe 2 woman. The jury couldn’t reach a verdict on her allegations. On these counts, a mistrial was declared.
He was also cleared of the charge of sexual battery against Jane Doe, his accuser.
Producer of Shakespeare in Love and Pulp Fiction, Oscar-winning Miramax, was wearing a grey suit and appeared pale in Los Angeles court on Monday.
He was not in a wheelchair like he used at past court appearances.
The former Hollywood producer looked down when he was convicted on count 1. The court clerk read the guilty plea and he looked at him lawyer. He stared at the jury for a moment.
In more than four weeks, the trial featured testimony from many witnesses.
Monday’s verdict was based on four allegations made by women between 2005 and 2013.
A jury consisting of eight women and four men deliberated for nine days on the three counts of rape as well as four other charges.
Jane Doe 1, a Russian model, was the woman Weinstein sentenced for rape on Monday.
As the trial’s first witness she stated that she was in Los Angeles to attend an Italian film festival in February 2013. She also testified that the producer came uninvited to her Beverly Hills hotel room, and raped.
She told the court that she was destructing herself. “I felt very guilty. Most importantly, I opened that door.
Ms. Siebel Newsom testified that she was a documentary film maker when Weinstein raped her in a hotel room in 2005.
California’s first lady stated Monday that Harvey Weinstein would never be allowed to rape another woman.
“He will spend the rest his life behind bars.
“Throughout the trial Weinstein’s lawyers used misogyny and sexism to intimidate, degrade, and ridicule survivors.
“The trial was a clear reminder that society has work to do.”
Lauren Young was the other main accuser who publicly identified herself.
When Weinstein approached her about a script, she said that she was a model and an actor.
Ms. Young claimed he had taken her to a hotel and sexually assaulted.
The jury could not reach a verdict regarding the charges against her.
Jane Doe 3, a massage therapist, testified that Weinstein had sexually assaulted and trapped her in a hotel toilet in 2010. He was cleared.
His 2020 conviction in New York was a significant moment in the history of the #MeToo movement. The organization had been calling for widespread sexual harassment and abuse in the film industry for many years.
Weinstein is appealing the New York conviction.
More than 80 women have filed allegations against Weinstein of sexual assault and misconduct over many decades.
Additional reporting by Gareth Evans Washington DC.