Harvey Weinstein was convicted of raping a woman (Picture: Getty Images)
Disgraced American film producer Harvey Weinstein has been convicted of sex crimes including raping a woman.
A jury in Los Angeles delivered the verdict on Monday, finding Weinstein guilty of rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by foreign object of a woman.
Weinstein was acquitted of one count of sexual battery. However, the jury remained hung on one count of rape, one count of sexual battery by restraint and one count of forcible oral copulation. He pleaded not guilty to all seven charges.
The verdict means that Weinstein, 70, will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison. He is currently serving a 23-year sentence in New York for other rape cases, after a 2020 conviction.
Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of rape at a Los Angeles trial (Picture: AP)
Four women brought the current case against Weinstein, with five sexual assault charges including two counts of forcible rape. They claimed the encounters occurred from 2004 to 2013 in Los Angeles County.
The accusers were aspiring models at the time including California Governor Gavin Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom, as well as a masseuse who worked for Weinstein. The women gave emotional testimonies in court over the past month.
Jurors deliberated for 41 hours over 10 days.
Allegations from an Italian model identified as Jane Doe 1 in court convinced the jury to convict Weinstein.
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence for other rape cases (Picture: Invision)
Weinstein is scheduled to be sentenced in early 2023 in Los Angeles. However, he must complete his current prison sentence before being moved to California.
The conviction comes more than five years after reports emerged of his behavior, which was a catalyst for the #MeToo movement.
Though the jury was hung on counts around her testimony, Jennifer Siebel Newsom lauded the conviction.
‘Throughout the trial, Weinstein’s lawyers used sexism, misogyny and bullying tactics to intimidate, demean and ridicule us survivors,’ she stated.
‘This trial was a stark reminder that we as a society have work to do. To all survivors out there – I see you, I hear you, and I stand with you.’
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The jury’s verdict all but assures that Harvey Weinstein will spend the rest of his life in prison.
