Harvey Weinstein found guilty of sexual assault in partial retrial verdict
A Manhattan jury has convicted former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein on a top charge in his sex crimes retrial. Weinstein was previously convicted of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual act. Each first-degree criminal sexual act carries a maximum sentence of 25 years.
BBC reports that Weinstein was found guilty of sexual assault but not guilty of an additional sexual assault charge. However, the jury has not yet reached a decision on a rape charge.
The jury consists of seven women and five men. According to the Associated Press, they were handed the case on the morning of Thursday, June 5, and deliberated without reaching a decision. Deliberations continued the next morning and carried into the following week.
Testimony from key witnesses
NBC News reports that jurors heard testimony from several people, including “Project Runway” production assistant Miriam Haley and actress Jessica Mann, both of whom testified during Weinstein’s 2020 trial.
One woman who did not testify in 2020 but spoke during this retrial was a former runway model from Poland.
During the retrial, Weinstein was held at Manhattan’s Bellevue Hospital, where a court approved his stay. His recent health issues included emergency heart surgery last September and a chronic myeloid leukemia diagnosis in October.
Despite his medical problems, Weinstein appeared in court Wednesday in a wheelchair.
Defense requests mistrial
Fox News reports that Weinstein’s defense team requested another mistrial. Weinstein addressed Judge Curtis Farber, saying, “This is my life that’s on the line, this is not fair.” Farber denied the request.
Jury room tensions
Deadline reports chaotic moments during deliberations, including an alleged threat of violence between jurors.
One juror told Farber on Wednesday, “I can’t go back in there with the other jurors,” describing yelling and screaming among the group during the five-day deliberations.
Weinstein’s personal regrets
In a phone call last week with Fox 5 New York’s Rosanna Scotto, Weinstein admitted to feeling nervous as the jury deliberated.
“I have regrets that I — from my family — through this, that I put my wife through this, that I acted immorally,” he said. “I put so many friends through this and hurt people that were close to me by actions that were stupid. But never illegal, never criminal, never anything.”
Weinstein’s retrial came after his 2020 conviction for rape and predatory assault was overturned. A trial judge ruled that women were wrongly allowed to testify about allegations not included in his criminal charges.
However, NBC News reports Weinstein will likely be returned to California after this retrial to serve a 16-year sentence for his 2022 rape conviction.
#MeToo movement and Weinstein’s downfall
In 2017, Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women, helping to ignite the #MeToo movement. He was forced out of his production company, The Weinstein Company, which later filed for bankruptcy in 2018.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
