22.44°C Vancouver

Feb 24, 2020 9:43 PM -

Harvey Weinstein found guilty in landmark #MeToo moment

Share On

Harvey Weinstein was convicted Monday at his sexual assault trial, sealing his dizzying fall from powerful Hollywood studio boss to archvillain of the #MeToo movement.

The verdict followed weeks of often harrowing and excruciatingly graphic testimony from a string of accusers who told of rapes, forced oral sex, groping, masturbation, lewd propositions and that's Hollywood excuses from Weinstein about how the casting couch works.

The conviction was seen as a long-overdue reckoning for Weinstein after years of whispers about his behaviour turned into a torrent of accusations in 2017 that destroyed his career and gave rise to #MeToo, the global movement to encourage women to come forward and hold powerful men accountable for their sexual misconduct.

The jury of seven men and five women took five days to find him guilty.

The case against the once-feared producer 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 behaviour on his part.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sex crimes unless they grant permission, as Haleyi and Sciorra did.

Jurors signalled their struggles with the Sciorra charges four days into deliberations.

On Friday, after reviewing sections of her testimony and related evidence, they sent a note to the judge indicating they were deadlocked on the counts but had reached a unanimous verdict on the others.

After some debate in the courtroom, the judge ordered jurors to keep deliberating.

While Weinstein did not testify, his lawyers contended that any sexual contact was consensual and that his accusers went to bed with him to advance their careers.

The defence seized on the fact that two of the women central to the case stayed in contact with Weinstein through warm and even flirty emails and had sex with him well after he supposedly attacked them.


Latest news

canada-wins-bronze-at-womens-3x3-basketball-world-cup
CanadaJun 30, 2025

Canada wins bronze at women's 3x3 basketball World Cup

Canada's women's team has won the bronze medal in the FIBA ​​3X3 Basketball World Cup. The Canadian team defeated Poland 21-9 in the bronze medal match at the World Cup played in Mongolia. Paige Crozon was a key contributor to the Canadian team's victory, scoring 13 points and grabbing 5 rebounds. Meanwhile, Saicha Grant Allen scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the match. The 6th ranked Canadian team lost 15-21 to the Netherlands in the semi-final match yesterday. The Netherlands team managed to win the gold medal in this World Cup. Host Mongolia finished second in this tournament.
income-tax-cut-for-middle-class-to-take-effect-tomorrow-mark-carney
CanadaJun 30, 2025

Income tax cut for middle class to take effect tomorrow: Mark Carney

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that income tax cuts for the middle class will take effect tomorrow. The government has reduced the lowest personal income tax rate from 15 to 14 per cent. According to the Carney government's estimates, 22 million Canadians will benefit from this. PM Carney had promised this during the election campaign and said after the election that this cut would be implemented from Canada Day. This tax cut will apply to the two lowest tax brackets, the first whose taxable income in 2025 is up to $114,750 and the second whose income will be up to $57,375 in the
attorney-generals-statement-on-inquiry-into-event-safety
BCJun 30, 2025

Attorney general’s statement on inquiry into event safety

Niki Sharma, Attorney General, has released the following statement about the Commission of Inquiry into Community Events Safety in B.C. “On Saturday, April 26, 2025, British Columbia experienced one of the worst moments in our history, when a senseless act of violence turned a Lapu-Lapu Day celebration into a tragedy that left 11 people dead and countless more injured and traumatized. “In the aftermath, British Columbians understandably raised questions about enhancing public safety so people can feel safe attending and celebrating community events of all sizes this summer. That is why Pr
canada-sprint-canoeist-katie-vincent-sets-world-record-at-national-trials
CanadaJun 30, 2025

Canada: Sprint canoeist Katie Vincent sets world record at national trials

Canadian sprint canoeist Katie Vincent has set a world record in the C-1 500-meter event. Katie Vincent set the world record during the National Trials in Montreal on Sunday. 29-year-old Olympic champion Katie Vincent set a new record by completing the event in 2 minutes 0.609 seconds. The previous world record was held by Alena Nazdarova of Belarus, who set the record at the World Championships in Hungary in 2019 with a time of 2 minutes 0.73 seconds. Quebec's Sophia Jensen, a World Cup silver medalist, took second place in yesterday's trials.
man-arrested-in-connection-with-slashing
CanadaJun 30, 2025

Man arrested in connection with slashing

A man has been arrested and White Rock RCMP are investigating after reports another man was stabbed. White Rock RCMP received 9-1-1 calls advising of a fight involving a knife in the 1100 block of Oxford Street on Sunday June 29, 2025 at 9:50 p.m. Upon arrival, police observed a vehicle attempting to leave the scene and a high-risk traffic stop was initiated. A man matching the suspect description was inside the vehicle and he was arrested and transported to White Rock RCMP cells. “We want to thank the 9-1-1 callers who gave timely information which enabled us to locate and arrest the susp

Related News