Harvey Weinstein Jury Reaches Verdict: Guilty of Rape

The jury in the trial of Harvey Weinstein reached a verdict on Monday morning. The jurors informed the court that they had come to a decision on Monday morning, and it would be read that day. After over two years of mounting allegations of sexual assault, Weinstein was found guilty of sexual assault and third-degree rape, but acquitted on three other charges.

Weinstein was found guilty of criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree, according to The New York Times. He is expected to face prison time, but the details have not been handed down yet.

Weinstein was convicted of sexually assaulting Miriam Haley in July of 2006. That charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 25 years behind bars. He was also found guilty of third-degree rape in the case of actress Jessica Mann, but the jury decided he was not guilty of first-degree rape in Mann’s case, saying that they did not believe he used “forcible compulsion” to assault her.

Meanwhile, the verdict named Weinstein not guilty on two counts of predatory sexual assault. These charges carried a potential sentence of 10 years to life in prison, and were the biggest sticking points for the jury.

The jury took five days of deliberation in total to reach a verdict on Weinstein, according to The Guardian. The group consisted of five women and seven men, who left Weinstein’s trial on a cliffhanger on Friday, asking the judge for clarification on some of the different charges against Weinstein.

The jury had reached a deadlock on two of the biggest charges against Weinstein — predatory sexual assaults, each carrying a possible life sentence — but had reached a unanimous verdict on other charges. When they reconvened on Monday morning, they reached a decision, according to a report by Variety.

Weinstein’s defense attorney, Arthur Aidala, spoke before the court on Monday morning before the verdict was read. He made a motion for a mistrial, but was denied.

Weinstein, 67, used a Zimmer frame walker to assist him on his way into New York’s Supreme Court on Monday, as he has for the duration of his trial. Weinstein began using the walking aid after a back surgery in December, but his critics continue to mock it as a theatrical attempt to appear harmless and garner sympathy.

Weinstein’s case was one of the most highly-publicized of the last few years, so the jury faced a challenge in treating it objectively. Judge James Burke reportedly warned the jury that they could not treat Weinstein’s case as a referendum on the “Me Too” movement. However, many outside the courtroom will likely see it that way.

There is no word yet on when Weinstein’s sentencing may take place.