Weinstein Found Guilty Of Sexual Assault, Rape

Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted of sexual assault and rape in a New York court on Monday and taken off to jail in handcuffs, a victory for the #MeToo movement that inspired women to publicly accuse powerful men of misconduct.

Once one of Hollywood’s most influential producers, Weinstein, 67, was found guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a onetime aspiring actress, in 2013.

Officers helped Weinstein unsteadily to his feet before leading him away. His lawyer said Weinstein, who has used a walker throughout the trial, was expected to be taken to a medical facility at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex.

A spokesman for Weinstein said later that the onetime movie mogul was diverted instead to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, which has a unit that provides medical care for jail inmates.

The spokesman, Juda Engelmayer, told Reuters he did not know why Weinstein went to Bellevue or how long he would be there. But a number of news outlets, including Variety, reported that he had complained of chest pains.

Either destination would be a sharp contrast to the posh Four Seasons hotel where the producer of such acclaimed films as “The English Patient” and “Shakespeare in Love” started his day.

After the verdict Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s lawyer, quoted his client as saying, “I’m innocent. I’m innocent. How can this happen in America?”

His sentencing hearing was set for March 11. The attorney vowed to appeal.

Weinstein never testified in his defense. He told reporters during the trial that he had wanted to speak but his lawyers said it was unnecessary because the case against him was weak.

Actress Rose McGowan, who had accused Weinstein of rape, wrote on Twitter: “Today is a powerful day & a huge step forward in our collective healing.”

A statement for the #MeToo movement said: “The jury worked with an incredibly narrow and unjust set of laws governing sexual assault, and though he was not convicted on all counts, Harvey Weinstein will have to answer for his crimes.”

Weinstein faces up to 25 years in prison on the sexual assault conviction. He was also convicted of third degree rape – sexual intercourse without consent – which carries a prison sentence of up to four years.

The jury of seven men and five women acquitted Weinstein on the most serious charges, which carried a potential life sentence.

Asked by reporters outside court how the jury service experience was for him personally, jury foreman Bernard Cody said, “Devastating,” but declined to elaborate.

A long legal battle in the appeals courts is likely to ensue. At the start of the trial, defense lawyers accused the judge of bias, the prosecutors of withholding evidence, and the media of turning the trial into a circus.

Weinstein still faces sexual assault charges in California, which were announced just hours after his New York trial began on Jan. 6. Dozens of women have also filed civil lawsuits against him.