Accusers react to guilty verdict: ‘Harvey Weinstein is exactly where he should be’ – 9News

Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein has been convicted of sexual assault and rape in a New York court and taken away in handcuffs, marking a turning point for the #MeToo movement that inspired women to publicly accuse powerful men of misconduct.

The disgraced movie mogul faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of more than two decades in prison.

The jury acquitted Weinstein, 67, on the more serious charges of predatory sexual assault involving the two women, Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann.

In doing so, jurors indicated that they did not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Weinstein had also raped actress Annabella Sciorra, another alleged victim whose testimony prosecutors used in an attempt to establish Weinstein's predatory behaviour.

The long-awaited verdict has sparked emotional responses from all sides. Here are some of the reactions from key players in the two year battle.

Gloria Allred, attorney for accuser Miriam Haley, said:

"It's no longer business as usual in the United States. This is the age of empowerment of women. And you cannot intimidate them anymore," Ms Allred said. "Women will not be silenced."

Rose McGowan, an actress and model who claims she was raped by Weinstein and is part of a group of 17 accusers known as the Silence Breakers, said:

"Today is a powerful day and a huge step forward in our collective healing."

Rosanna Arquette, an actress and film producer who was one of more than 80 women who accused Weinstein of sexual assault or harassment, tweeted:

"Gratitude to the brave women who've testified and to the jury for seeing through the dirty tactics of the defence. We will change the laws in the future so that rape victims are heard and not discredited and so that it's easier for people to report their rapes."

Ashley Judd, an actress who accused Weinstein of sexual harassment tweeted:

"For the women who testified in this case, and walked through traumatic hell, you did a public service to girls and women everywhere, thank you."

Debra Katz, top lawyer in the Me Too movement after representing Christine Blasey Ford who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of assaulting her, said:

"Harvey Weinstein has heard dozens and dozens of people by his sexual, predatory, rapist, violent behaviour, and today there could be no other discussion other than Harvey Weinstein is exactly where he should be."

Douglas Wigdor and Kevin Mintzer, legal representatives of three women suing Weinstein Kaja Sokola, Wedil David and Dominique Huett and Tarale Wullf, issued a joint statement in response to the verdict:

"While we cannot undo the harm that Weinstein has caused to so many victims, hopefully today can bring about some sense of healing," it reads. "All of the survivors who participated in the criminal trial should be applauded for bringing about some sense of justice."

The official Me Too organisation said in a statement:

"Harvey Weinstein operated with impunity and without remorse for decades in Hollywood. Yet, it still took years, and millions of voices raised, for one man to be held accountable by the justice system."

New Yorker journalist Ronan Farrow, who broke stories about allegations against Weinstein in 2017, wrote on Twitter:

"Today's outcome in Harvey Weinstein's New York trial is the result of the decisions of multiple women to come forward to journalists and to prosecutors at great personal cost and risk. Please keep those women in your thoughts today."

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Accusers react to guilty verdict: 'Harvey Weinstein is exactly where he should be' - 9News