Harvey Weinstein’s Trial Verdict
The jury in the Harvey Weinstein sexual crime trial in New York has returned a mixed partial judgment. The committee, consisting of seven women and five men, found Weinstein, 73, guilty of committing a criminal sexual act against former TV production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. However, they did not find him guilty of the same crime against former Polish model and actress Kaja Sokola in 2006.
Ongoing Deliberations
The jury has not yet reached a verdict on the charge of rape in the third degree against actress Jessica Mann, which occurred in 2013. They will resume deliberations on Thursday. According to reports, tensions among the jurors were high before returning the mixed judgment, as they had been deliberating for five days.
Potential Sentence
A conviction for criminal sexual acts in the first degree carries a maximum penalty of 25 years. The prosecution had repeated the charges of criminal sexual acts of the first degree and rape of the third degree against Haley or Mann. These counts formed the basis for Weinstein’s New York trial in 2020, which led to his conviction and 23-year prison sentence, marking a milestone in the #MeToo movement.
Background on the Case
The conviction was overturned last year by the New York Court of Appeal, which found that the original trial had improperly allowed testimony of "previous bad acts" against women who were not complainants in the case. The third indictment, involving Sokola, was new. All three women, Mann, Haley, and Sokola, agreed to be identified during the hearing. Weinstein pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Previous Convictions
The former Hollywood mogul, who has fallen from power, had previously received a 16-year prison sentence from a court in Los Angeles in 2023 after being convicted of raping an actress in 2013. This latest trial has brought renewed attention to the allegations against Weinstein, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women.
