MANHATTAN — Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was found guilty on two of five felony charges Monday in his sexual assault trial in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Following five days of deliberation, the jury announced the verdicts on the following charges:
- In the charge of predatory sexual assault: Not guilty
- In the charge of first-degree criminal sexual act: Guilty
- In the charge of predatory sexual assault: Not guilty
- In the charge of first-degree rape: Not guilty
- In the charge of third-degree rape: Guilty
The guilty verdict in the charge of first-degree criminal sexual act could mean five to 25 years behind bars, while the guilty verdict in the third-degree rape charge means an additional year and a half to four years. The two most serious charges of predatory sexual assault, of which Weinstein was acquitted, carried potential life sentences.
Despite Weinstein’s legal team asking the judge that he remain free until his March 11 sentencing, Weinstein was remanded into custody following his conviction.
In court, Weinstein did not react when the guilty verdicts were read, but he did appear to hesitate when being taken into custody.
The jury indicated early Friday afternoon that it was deadlocked on the most serious charges.
During their lunch break, jurors posed a question asking if it were permissible for them to be hung on two counts of predatory sexual assault while reaching a unanimous verdict on other charges. Judge James Burke told the jury to keep working toward a unanimous verdict on all charges.
Though dozens of women have accused Weinstein of misconduct, his New York trial involves just a pair of allegations.
The panel of seven men and five women received instructions in the law on Tuesday from the judge before beginning to weigh charges that Weinstein raped a woman in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and forcibly performed oral sex on another woman in 2006.
Jurors also weighed in an account from actress Annabella Sciorra confronted Weinstein. She alleges she was raped by Weinstein in the mid-1990s. Other accusers testified to show how the disgraced movie mogul used similar tactics to victimize several women throughout the years.
A torrent of allegations against Weinstein in October 2017 spawned the #MeToo movement. His trial is seen as a landmark moment for the cause.
His lawyers said any encounters were consensual. They point to emails they argue show Weinstein and some of his accusers were in consenting relationships.
Weinstein was also hit with additional sexual assault charges in Los Angeles earlier in January.
