On Monday, former Hollywood ace producer Weinstein, accused of sexual harassment and assault on multiple women, was convicted of "third-degree rape" and "first-degree criminal sexual conduct." However, for many women who suffer from injustice, this is just the beginning of the #MeToo movement.
On the 24th, former Hollywood ace producer Weinstein arrived at the Manhattan District Criminal Court in New York City, where he was convicted
Weinstein was convicted
On Monday (24th), the Manhattan District Criminal Court in New York City, the United States, ruled that Harvey Weinstein, a former Hollywood ace producer accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment of multiple performers and staff, was convicted of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual act, respectively, and the victims were American actress Mann ( Jessica Mann) and former Production Assistant Miriam Haleyi for Showdown Fashion Runway.
"Grade III Rape Crime", "Grade I Criminal Conduct"
According to the New York State Penal Code, the first level is the most severe of the classification of rape crimes, and the third level represents that the perpetrator has engaged in sexual acts without the consent of the victim. First-degree criminal sex represents oral or anal sex between the perpetrator and the victim who is unable to express consent. Alternatively, the perpetrator commits the crime by means of "persecution", whether by force or threat of force.
Not a "sexual predator"
However, a jury of seven men and five women did not convict Weinstein of "sexual predators."
"But I am innocent"
Hearing the verdict announced by the court, Weinstein was expressionless, and he said to the defense lawyer three times, "But I am innocent." Weinstein was subsequently handcuffed by the bailiffs and he will be held temporarily in jail on Rikers Island, awaiting a court announcement on March 11 of his sentence, which is expected to be maximum 25 years in prison.
Note: A sexual predator is when someone wants to have sex with a "prey" through "hunting" or masochism, just as predators in the animal kingdom hunt their prey, and sexual predators are hunting their sexual partners.
According to the court's painter's painting, Weinstein was handcuffed by the bailiff immediately after his conviction and he will be temporarily held in a prison on Rixos Island
In 2017, the victims dared to be angry and did not dare to speak
Looking back at Weinstein's criminal behavior, he was exposed by The New York Times and The New Yorker in 2017 to use power to sexually harass and force actresses to have sex with staff and themselves, and this evil has been going on for decades. Because of Weinstein's position in Hollywood, most of the victims dare to be angry.
Not admitting to the offense was kicked out of Hollywood
As more and more actresses and staff came forward to accuse Weinstein of his crimes, he finally issued an apology statement, admitting that "he caused a lot of pain", but he did not admit the charges. In the end, Weinstein was kicked out of the board of his own film production company and spurned by Hollywood.
Detonate the "#我也是" movement
Weinstein also quickly became synonymous with "men who used power to sexually harass and sexually assault women", and triggered the "#我也是" (#MeToo) movement that extended from Hollywood to all walks of life, and the victims decided to unite to tell their stories so that such tragedies would not be repeated.
On the 24th, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. (right) and Chief Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi came forward for media interviews
The perpetrator is responsible for himself
Although Judge James Burke, who presided over the trial, warned the jury in advance not to use Mr. Weinstein's case as a referendum on the #我也是 movement, the jury's votes still had a profound impact on Hollywood and all walks of life, determining that powerful men in the future must be held accountable for their sexual harassment and assault.
A new era of women's empowerment
Dozens of victims and feminist groups celebrated the verdict on Weinstein's fate, saying it heralded a new era of women's empowerment.
American actress Dawn Dunning, who testified in court, said: "This verdict shows people that you must be responsible for what you do, and you cannot take advantage of people because you have money and power."
"Changing the History of Confronting Sexual Violence"
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. Women who testified against Weinstein "changed the history of fighting sexual violence," he said, and society as a whole owes them a lot of debt.
"The women who bravely stepped forward at great risks made this happen," Vance Jr. continued, "Weinstein was an evil continuous predator who used his power to threaten, rape, attack, abduct, humiliate and silence his victims."
Wearing a coffee coat, American actress Mann is pictured, accused of being raped by Weinstein.
Defense Attorney: For the sake of a career, have a relationship voluntarily
However, in the face of prosecutors' fierce attacks on Weinstein and the accusations of victims, Weinstein's defense lawyers said that the women who were allegedly sexually harassed and sexually assaulted were all voluntarily having sex with Weinstein for their careers. After Weinstein became the target of the "#我也是" movement, the so-called victims came out and said they did not volunteer.
After being raped, they still made good friends
In the case of Jessica Mann, a 34-year-old American actress, she accused Mr. Weinstein of raping her in 2013 at the Midtown East Hotel in New York. However, defense lawyers presented evidence that after the two had sex, Mann still befriended Weinstein, and the two still exchanged emails full of flirtatious messages, and then continued to have sex. In addition, Mann's friends said that Mann never described Weinstein's sexual relationship with her as a rape.
In a message Mann wrote to a friend, she described Weinstein as a "false father" who gave her all the recognition she needed.
It does not change the fact that you have been raped
In response to the attacks by Weinstein's defense lawyers, Mann said her romantic relationship with Weinstein was "complicated and very different." Mann mentions that the last time he had a relationship with Weinstein was in 2016, shortly after Weinstein lost his mother, he asked Mann to comfort him.
"It doesn't change the fact that he raped me." Mann said.
The picture shows Harley, a former production assistant on the TV show "Showdown Fashion Runway", who was abducted into her home by Weinstein in the name of a meeting and gave her a blowjob.
Forced to give up resistance
Harley, 42, a victim of Weinstein's first-degree criminal sex, testified in court that Mr. Weinstein had made her a production assistant for the show Show show Showdown Fashion Runway.
Harley said she refused to have sex with Mr. Weinstein in several meetings, and on July 11, 2006, when Mr. Halley thought Mr. Weinstein was going to a business meeting and went to his apartment in lower Manhattan, mr. Mr. Mr. Halley was pushed to bed by Mr. Weinstein, who forced her to give herself a blowjob despite her protests.
Harley recalls the scene and says, "I tried to stand up, but he kept pushing me down. I said, 'No, I don't want that to happen.' Finally, Harley gave up her resistance, saying, "I found it useless," "I was raped."
It's like "Doctor Who".
Halley describes Weinstein as "Doctor Who Became a Strange Doctor", with two personalities in his body. Harley said, "For him, hearing the word 'no' is like pulling off a board."
Confess and continue to meet afterwards
Halley admitted that she continued to meet with Weinstein after that and had sex with him at the hotel two weeks later. Harley also told her friends that she and Weinstein had a lot of friendships, and not only proposed the show to Weinstein, but also accepted a movie premiere ticket and a ticket to London from Weinstein.
Mr. Rotonneau, Weinstein's defense lawyer, said she would continue to appeal because "the war is not over."
Women are responsible for their decisions
In response, Weinstein's defense lawyer Donna Rotunno said that this is evidence of women having consensual sexual intercourse with Weinstein, and prosecutors are trying to create a world where women have no free will, a world where women are not responsible for their decisions.
Ants that can be spoiled at will
Chief Prosecutor Joan Illuzzi countered that Weinstein was the one who created the world, that he had created a world in which women had no choice but to let him abuse. She said: "He is the master of the Weinstein universe, and the witness standing here today is just an ant that he can waste at will without worrying about the consequences."
"They want to enter his world, and that's exactly what he needs — they can't complain when they're being abused, spitting, languishing, raped and abused."
"This war is not over"
In any case, Weinstein's defense lawyer, Rotono, said they would continue to appeal, "this war is not over", "Weinstein is incredibly strong, he accepted the verdict like a man, he knows we will continue to fight for him, he also knows that it is not over".
After Weinstein was handcuffed and taken away, his commonly used walker was pushed out of the courtroom by staff.
Convicting him is only the beginning
For American actress Julianne Moore, convicting Weinstein is just the beginning, and she also called on the public to continue to support the "#我也是" movement and fight for safety, equality and justice for every workplace.
The verdict was disappointing
American actress Ashley Judd, Lucia Evans, Rosanna Arquette and 19 other women accused of sexual harassment with Weinstein said in a joint statement: "The result of today's verdict is disappointing, and such results do not reflect the facts and justice that so many women deserve."
Still, they expressed gratitude to the women who were willing to come forward to accuse Weinstein.
There are also Los Angeles Criminal Court trials
Now, Weinstein is not only waiting for a sentence to be decided by the Manhattan District Criminal Court in New York City, he must also face the trial of the Los Angeles Criminal Court, where he was accused of multiple felonies in 2013 on suspicion of sexually assaulting two women.