Reactions to Harvey Weinstein’s guilty conviction suggest he be kept on suicide watch and thank 'brave women'
Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted Monday at his sexual assault trial. Weeks of excruciatingly graphic testimony from a string of accusers documented stories of rapes, forced oral sex, groping, masturbation, lewd propositions, and casting couch.
A jury of seven men and five women reportedly took five days to find him guilty. Per the Associated Press, the case against Weinstein was essentially built on three allegations: that he raped an aspiring actress in a New York City hotel room in 2013; that he forcibly performed oral sex on another woman, production assistant Mimi Haleyi, at his apartment in 2006; and that he raped and forcibly performed oral sex on ‘Sopranos’ actress Annabella Sciorra in her apartment in the mid-1990s.
Three additional women who said they, too, were attacked by Weinstein also testified as part of an effort by prosecutors to show a pattern of brutish behavior on his part.
While Weinstein did not testify, his lawyers informed the court that any sexual contact was consensual and that his accusers went to bed with him to advance their careers.
Weinstein was acquitted of three further charges, including the two most serious counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a possible life sentence, and an alternative count of rape in the first degree.
Commenting on the news, the Women’s Equality Party of the UK tweeted from its official handle, “Huge respect & gratitude to all the women who came forward, campaigned & spoke out to ensure #HarveyWeinstein was brought to justice. This case has chipped away at the security of men who use their power to #abuse. Now we have to build on that work.”
Journalist Roland Martin tweeted, “#HarveyWeinstein is officially a rapist. The once-dominant and domineering Hollywood producer is headed to prison for a long time. Good riddance. He terrorized women for YEARS.”
Twitter user @ewarren4prez wrote, “#HarveyWeinstein handcuffed and taken into custody. Thank you to all the extremely brave women who came forward and told their stories. We see you. We believe you. We thank you.”
A number of people on Twitter also likened Weinstein to the now-dead American financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on August 10, 2019. They suggested that Weinstein should be kept on “suicide watch”.
Actor Ellen Barkin wrote on Twitter, “Right now Harvey Weinstein is on his way to prison. These are the women who put him away… Mimi Haleyi, Jessica Mann, Annabella Sciorra, Dawn Dunning, Lauren Young, Tarale Wulff.”
Author Liz Plank said, “Harvey Weinstein is found guilty of rape. The justice system has set a precedent, finally recognizing how rapists operate and manipulate victims to maintain contact. Survivors and those who love them, you did this. Every single one of you did this.”