(CNN) — A Los Angeles jury resumed deliberations in the second sexual assault trial against Harvey Weinstein on Monday, meeting for the 10th day to decide a verdict after weeks of testimony.
Former film producer Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of rape, forced oral copulation and foreign object sexual penetration of a woman Monday in a sexual assault trial in which prosecutors said he used his influence in Hollywood to lure women to private meetings and assault them.
Jurors found Weinstein not guilty on one count of coercive sexual assault, and there were tied votes on one count of coercive sexual assault, one count of forcible oral copulation and one count of rape.
Weinstein had pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.
The jurors reached the verdict in their third week of deliberations, meeting for a total of 41 hours over 10 days.
Weinstein was found guilty of similar charges in New York in 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
During the weeks of the trial in Los Angeles, emotional testimony was heard from Weinstein’s accusers — a model, a dancer, a masseuse and Siebel Newsom, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who were asked to recount the events. details of their accusations against him, gave details of meetings with the producer years ago and explained their reactions to the alleged attacks.
In closing arguments, Los Angeles County Assistant Attorney Marlene Martinez called Weinstein a “titan” who used his power in Hollywood to take advantage of women and silence them.
“Rapists rape. You can see the pattern,” prosecutor Paul Thompson told jurors.
“They have irrefutable and overwhelming evidence about the nature of this man and what he did to these women,” Thompson said.
Meanwhile, Weinstein’s lawyers have maintained that the allegations are fabricated or consensually produced as part of a “transactional relationship” with the film producer, repeatedly saying there is no evidence of assault.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson called the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
The trial in Los Angeles included testimony from the four accusers identified as Jane Does in court, and from other witnesses, including experts, law enforcement officers, friends of the accusers and former Weinstein aides.
In addition, four women testified to having been subjected to similar behavior by Weinstein in other jurisdictions.
accusations and arguments
Jennifer Siebel Newsom testifies on November 14. Credit: Bill Robles
Every morning during the trial, Weinstein was wheeled out of a correctional facility and wheeled into a Los Angeles courtroom wearing a suit and tie and a notebook in hand.
All of his accusers began their often emotional testimony by identifying him in the courtroom as he watched.
“He’s wearing a blue suit and tie and he’s staring at me,” Siebel Newsom said last month, ahead of what was one of the most emotional moments of the trial.
On Thursday of last week, defense attorney Jackson asked jurors if they could “accept what (the Jane Does) say as gospel,” arguing what they said was a lack of forensic evidence to support their claim. .
“Four words that sum up the entirety of the prosecution’s case: ‘Take my word for it,'” Jackson said. “Believe me, he showed up at my hotel room unannounced. Trust me, I showed up at his hotel room. I give you my word that I did not consent. Believe me, I told him no.”
Siebel Newsom described a “cat and mouse period” of several hours that preceded her alleged assault. Like other accusers, she described how she felt “frozen” that day.
Weinstein’s lawyers do not deny the incident occurred, but say he believes it was consensual.
Jackson called the incident “consensual and transactional sex,” adding: “Repentance is not the same as rape. And it’s important that we make that distinction in this court.”
Women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Jane Doe 2 in the case, told CNN she hopes the jury will see that her client “has absolutely no reason to do anything but tell the truth.”
“She never sought or received any compensation (…) She no longer lives in California. But she is testifying because she has been asked to testify and I hope they see her as the young woman she was when she met Harvey Weinstein, and the woman who it’s about nine or 10 years later today. His life has changed,” Allred said.
“To be willing to submit to what could be a very brutal interrogation. It takes a very special person to do it. And she is a special person. I am very proud,” Allred said.
In her closing argument, MartÃnez also noted that the women who testified decided to do so despite knowing that they would face harsh conditions in court.
“The truth is, as you sit here, we know what despicable behavior the defendant engaged in. He thought he was so powerful that people … would excuse his behavior,” Martinez said. “That’s just Harvey being Harvey. That’s Hollywood. And for a long time that’s what everybody did. Everybody looked the other way.”
— Christina Maxouris contributed to this reporting.
(CNN) — A Los Angeles jury resumed deliberations in the second sexual assault trial against Harvey Weinstein on Monday, meeting for the 10th day to decide a verdict after weeks of testimony.
Former film producer Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of rape, forced oral copulation and foreign object sexual penetration of a woman Monday in a sexual assault trial in which prosecutors said he used his influence in Hollywood to lure women to private meetings and assault them.
Jurors found Weinstein not guilty on one count of coercive sexual assault, and there were tied votes on one count of coercive sexual assault, one count of forcible oral copulation and one count of rape.
Weinstein had pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.
The jurors reached the verdict in their third week of deliberations, meeting for a total of 41 hours over 10 days.
Weinstein was found guilty of similar charges in New York in 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
During the weeks of the trial in Los Angeles, emotional testimony was heard from Weinstein’s accusers — a model, a dancer, a masseuse and Siebel Newsom, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who were asked to recount the events. details of their accusations against him, gave details of meetings with the producer years ago and explained their reactions to the alleged attacks.
In closing arguments, Los Angeles County Assistant Attorney Marlene Martinez called Weinstein a “titan” who used his power in Hollywood to take advantage of women and silence them.
“Rapists rape. You can see the pattern,” prosecutor Paul Thompson told jurors.
“They have irrefutable and overwhelming evidence about the nature of this man and what he did to these women,” Thompson said.
Meanwhile, Weinstein’s lawyers have maintained that the allegations are fabricated or consensually produced as part of a “transactional relationship” with the film producer, repeatedly saying there is no evidence of assault.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson called the accusers “fame and fortune seekers.”
The trial in Los Angeles included testimony from the four accusers identified as Jane Does in court, and from other witnesses, including experts, law enforcement officers, friends of the accusers and former Weinstein aides.
In addition, four women testified to having been subjected to similar behavior by Weinstein in other jurisdictions.
accusations and arguments
Jennifer Siebel Newsom testifies on November 14. Credit: Bill Robles
Every morning during the trial, Weinstein was wheeled out of a correctional facility and wheeled into a Los Angeles courtroom wearing a suit and tie and a notebook in hand.
All of his accusers began their often emotional testimony by identifying him in the courtroom as he watched.
“He’s wearing a blue suit and tie and he’s staring at me,” Siebel Newsom said last month, ahead of what was one of the most emotional moments of the trial.
On Thursday of last week, defense attorney Jackson asked jurors if they could “accept what (the Jane Does) say as gospel,” arguing what they said was a lack of forensic evidence to support their claim. .
“Four words that sum up the entirety of the prosecution’s case: ‘Take my word for it,'” Jackson said. “Believe me, he showed up at my hotel room unannounced. Trust me, I showed up at his hotel room. I give you my word that I did not consent. Believe me, I told him no.”
Siebel Newsom described a “cat and mouse period” of several hours that preceded her alleged assault. Like other accusers, she described how she felt “frozen” that day.
Weinstein’s lawyers do not deny the incident occurred, but say he believes it was consensual.
Jackson called the incident “consensual and transactional sex,” adding: “Repentance is not the same as rape. And it’s important that we make that distinction in this court.”
Women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Jane Doe 2 in the case, told CNN she hopes the jury will see that her client “has absolutely no reason to do anything but tell the truth.”
“She never sought or received any compensation (…) She no longer lives in California. But she is testifying because she has been asked to testify and I hope they see her as the young woman she was when she met Harvey Weinstein, and the woman who it’s about nine or 10 years later today. His life has changed,” Allred said.
“To be willing to submit to what could be a very brutal interrogation. It takes a very special person to do it. And she is a special person. I am very proud,” Allred said.
In her closing argument, MartÃnez also noted that the women who testified decided to do so despite knowing that they would face harsh conditions in court.
“The truth is, as you sit here, we know what despicable behavior the defendant engaged in. He thought he was so powerful that people … would excuse his behavior,” Martinez said. “That’s just Harvey being Harvey. That’s Hollywood. And for a long time that’s what everybody did. Everybody looked the other way.”
— Christina Maxouris contributed to this reporting.
