Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty of Rape & Sexual Assault in Los Angeles Trial

Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of 3 charges in his second sexual assault trial held on Monday, December 9. He was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and one count of rape by the jury. He was also acquitted of one count of sexual battery in the trial held in a Los Angeles court. The conviction comes almost 3 years after the disgraced producer was found guilty at a watershed sex crimes trial held in New York City.

The ruling comes as a victory to all the victims who were silenced by Weinstein for years and often decades, as well as the lawyers who fought the case on their behalf.

The former film producer has been accused of rape, molestation, and sexual assault by multiple women in recent years. As per prosecutors, the movie mogul used his Hollywood influence to lure actresses to attend private meetings, where they were subjected to sexual assault. This far-reaching influence also enabled Weinstein to suppress the voice of anyone who decided to speak out against him.

The jury, which consisted of 8 male and 4 female judges, was unable to make a decision on 3 other counts of charges against him and deliberated for 9 days before coming up with their decision.

The 70-year-old disgraced producer, however, pleaded not guilty in both the trials held against him and has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex filed against him. At present, Weinstein is serving a 23-year prison term in New York. He was found guilty of two felonies, including third-degree rape and criminal sexual act in the first degree, in a February 2020 hearing held in the city.

Weinstein had decided to waive his right to take the witness stand in both trials. The verdict came after several weeks of emotional testimony from 44 witnesses called by the prosecution. Many of the testimonies were accompanied by excruciatingly graphic details. The witnesses included documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who is married to Gavin Newsom, the governor of California.

The documentary filmmaker broke down on the witness stand while describing her ordeal. Siebel Newsom was allegedly raped by Weinstein in a Beverly Hills hotel suite. Between sobs, the victim testified about the horrific night, saying, “I’m trembling, I’m like a rock, I’m frigid.” “This is my worst nightmare,” she added.

This trial became more important after Weinstein was allowed to appeal the 2020 conviction by the New York State Court of Appeals in August this year.

The Los Angeles prosecutors opened the argument with Weinstein’s portrayal as a relentless sexual predator who used his influential status in Hollywood to threaten the women whom he abused.

Weinstein’s lawyer, Mark Werksman, put forward a counterargument stating that the women accusing Weinstein had engaged in consensual or transactional sexual activities with him. He also accused the women of reframing the incident following the spread of the #MeToo movement. The defense called upon 6 people to put their testimonies forward during the trial.

As per the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, Weinstein may face a possible sentence of 24 years in prison for his conviction in the Los Angeles court.

Weinstein’s trial comes 5 years after The New Yorker and The New York Times investigated and published shocking allegations related to multiple sexual misconducts of the former producer. The published stories, in turn, helped inspire and empower other women to come up with their experiences of sexual misconduct in high-profile industries such as entertainment. It sparked a new movement that became popular, the #MeToo movement. If you’re facing a situation like this, don’t hesitate to reach out to Los Angeles Molestation Lawyers like the ones at Winer, Burritt & Scott LLP.