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What about Weinstein? Well, he’s guilty, that’s what.
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was found guilty on 2 charges for his habitually heinous behavior. Weinstein was found guilty of committing a criminal sex act in the first degree involving one woman and rape in the third degree involving another woman after a trial where six women testified in graphic detail that he attacked them.
A jury of seven men and five women took five days to reach their verdict against the man whose accusations of sexual misconduct sparked the #MeToo movement.
Still, he may have gotten off easy. CNN reports that a New York jury acquitted the disgraced movie mogul on the more serious charges of predatory sexual assault involving the two women, Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann.
In doing so, jurors also indicated that they did not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Weinstein had also raped another victim Annabella Sciorra.
The predatory sexual assault charges were the most severe charges and were punishable by 10 years to life in prison.
CNN has broken down the sentencing guidelines below.
- 10 years to life in prison for predatory sexual assault;
- At least five years in prison for rape in the first degree;
- Probation to four years in prison for rape in the third degree;
- At least five years in prison for criminal sexual act in the first degree.
Either way, Weinstein will be going to jail.
Tina Tchen, President and CEO of the TIME’s UP Foundation is calling Weinstein’s verdict a “new era of justice.”
“This trial — and the jury’s decision today — marks a new era of justice, not just for the Silence Breakers, who spoke out at great personal risk, but for all survivors of harassment, abuse, and assault at work. We owe a debt of gratitude to Mimi Haleyi, Jessica Mann, Annabella Sciorra, Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff, and Lauren Young and all the Silence Breakers for their bravery and resolve as they faced this man in court. We continue to believe them — all of them — and continue to be in solidarity with them.
“The jury’s verdict sends a powerful message to the world of just how much progress has been made since the Weinstein Silence Breakers ignited an unstoppable movement. In two short years, TIME’S UP helped pass new laws to help survivors achieve justice, helped thousands of individuals take on harassers and abusers in court, and changed the game when it comes to how matters of safety and equity in the workplace are understood.
“While we celebrate this historic moment, our fight to fix the broken system that has allowed serial abusers like Harvey Weinstein to abuse women in the first place continues. Abusers everywhere and the powerful forces that protect them should be on notice: There’s no going back.”
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