CNN
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The disgraced film mogul was discovered responsible Monday of three of seven costs towards him in his second sexual assault trial. The jury acquitted Weinstein of 1 rely of sexual battery by restraint towards a therapeutic massage therapist in a lodge room in 2010.
Weinstein, who prosecutors mentioned used his Hollywood affect to lure ladies into personal 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 lodge 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 among his accusers, a mannequin and actress who testified the film mogul assaulted her in a Beverly Hills lodge room in February 2013.
The lady, recognized as Jane Doe 1 in court docket, was the primary to testify within the trial.
“Harvey Weinstein without end destroyed part of me that night time in 2013. I’ll by no means get that again. The felony trial was brutal. Weinstein’s legal professionals put me by way of hell on the witness stand. However I knew I needed to see this by way of the tip, and I did… I hope Harvey Weinstein by no means sees the surface of a jail cell throughout his lifetime,” Jane Doe 1 mentioned in an announcement launched by way of her legal professional.
Weinstein had pleaded not responsible to all seven costs towards him.
“Harvey is clearly dissatisfied, nonetheless hopefully as a result of with this specific accuser there are good floor to enchantment primarily based on time and placement of alleged occasions,” Weinstein’s spokesperson Juda Engelmayer mentioned 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 attainable sentence of 24 years in jail for the Los Angeles conviction, based on the Los Angeles District Lawyer’s Workplace. The once-powerful movie producer is already serving a 23-year sentence for a 2020 New York rape conviction.
The decision was reached as jurors entered their third week of deliberations, assembly for a complete of 41 hours over a interval of 10 days following weeks of oftentimes emotional testimony.
The District Lawyer’s workplace will meet to find out whether or not to retry the counts on which the jury couldn’t agree, officers mentioned.
Elizabeth Fegan, an legal professional representing Siebel Newsom, who was recognized in court docket as Jane Doe 4, mentioned they have been dissatisfied the jury couldn’t attain a unanimous verdict on the fees associated to her consumer.
“Harvey Weinstein won’t ever be capable to rape one other girl. He’ll spend the remainder of his life behind bars the place he belongs. Harvey Weinstein is a serial predator and what he did was rape,” Siebel Newsom mentioned in an announcement. “All through the trial, Weinstein’s legal professionals used sexism, misogyny, and bullying ways to intimidate, demean, and mock us survivors. This trial was a stark reminder that we as a society have work to do. To all survivors on the market – I see you, I hear you, and I stand with you.”
Gov. Newsom additionally launched an announcement, saying, “I’m so extremely happy with my spouse and all of the courageous ladies who got here ahead to share their fact and uplift numerous survivors who can not. Their power, braveness and conviction is a robust instance and inspiration to all of us. We should preserve preventing to make sure that survivors are supported and that their voices are heard.”
The Los Angeles jury reached its verdict after deliberating for a complete of 41 hours – longer than the New York jury in Weinstein’s first felony trial, through which he was convicted of felony 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 she was joyful Weinstein was convicted on some counts regardless of there being a mistrial on her rely, Allred mentioned 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 mentioned 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 small print 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 related to an unnamed girl have been dropped with out rationalization. She didn’t testify within the trial.
In closing arguments, Los Angeles County Deputy District Lawyer Marlene Martinez known as Weinstein a “titan” who used his energy in Hollywood to prey on and silence ladies.
“Rapists rape. You’ll be able to have a look at the sample,” fellow prosecutor Paul Thompson instructed jurors.
In the meantime, Weinstein’s attorneys maintained the allegations are 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 known as the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
The trial in Los Angeles additionally included testimony from different witnesses, together with consultants, legislation enforcement, buddies 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 go well with 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 go well with, and a blue tie and he’s looking at me,” Siebel Newsom mentioned final month, earlier than what was one of the vital emotional moments of the trial. She testified Weinstein raped her in a lodge room in 2005.
Throughout the trial, protection legal professional Jackson requested jurors if they may “settle for what (the Jane Does) say as gospel,” arguing what they mentioned was a scarcity of forensic proof supporting their declare.
“5 phrases that sum up everything of the prosecution’s case: ‘Take my phrase for it,’” Jackson mentioned. “‘Take my phrase for it that he confirmed up at my lodge room unannounced. Take my phrase for it that I confirmed up at his lodge room. Take my phrase for it that I didn’t consent. Take my phrase for it, that I mentioned 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 mentioned he believed it was consensual.
In her closing arguments, Martinez highlighted the ladies who testified selected to take action regardless of realizing they’d face powerful situations in court docket.
“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 mentioned. “That’s simply Harvey being Harvey. That’s simply Hollywood. And for thus lengthy that’s what everybody did. Everybody simply turned their heads.”
