Harvey Weinstein accusers react to conviction as mogul is found guilty in rape trial

Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino have reacted to the news Harvey Weinstein was found guilty today on two out of five counts in a landmark rape trial.

Today, 67-year-old Weinstein was found guilty after he went on trial in early January facing five charges of rape and sexual assault, all of which he pleaded not guilty to.

A jury of seven men and five women found the disgraced producer guilty on the fifth day of deliberations.

The former mogul has been convicted on two out of five counts – criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree. He was acquitted on others.

Judd had previously accused the Weinstein of sexual harassment in 1998 and for threatening to sabotage her career after she rejected his alleged sexual advances (however a lawsuit was later dismissed in court).

Following his conviction on Monday in New York, Judd posted on Twitter, addressing the women who had testified during the lengthy trial.

She wrote: ‘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.#ConvictWeinstein #Guilty.’

In October 2018, Judd opened up about the allegations for the first time, telling ABC Night Line that she had been invited to a breakfast meeting with Weinstein, but was allegedly pressured into giving him massages and watching him shower.

The actress said: ‘There’s this constant grooming, negotiation going on. I thought no meant no. I fought with this volley of nos, which he ignored.

‘Maybe he heard them as maybe, maybe he heard them as yeses. Maybe they turned him on.’

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.#ConvictWeinstein #Guilty

— ashley judd (@AshleyJudd) February 24, 2020

She added: ‘It’s a very important word, shame, and it’s a very important thing to talk about, so we all do the best we can and our best is good enough. And it’s really okay to have responded however we responded.’

Today Judd also liked a statement from Time’s Up, with the organisation celebrating the conviction on social media.

‘Today is a victory for the #SilenceBreakers who refused to be silent about Weinstein, igniting a global reckoning,’ a tweet read. ‘It’s a victory for survivors everywhere – and for all those who believe in justice.’

Actress Mira Sorvino also shared on Twitter: ‘The beginning of #justice. More to come, my sisters. #weinsteinguilty.’

Sorvino accused Weinstein of sexual harassment and derailing her career throughout the years.

Found guilty for two counts today, the jury found Weinstein not guilty on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault, which could have resulted in a life sentence for the former Hollywood producer.

A judge ordered Weinstein to be jailed immediately after his conviction. He’ll remain in custody until his 11 March sentencing.

Following the conviction, Weinstein was handcuffed and led him out of the courtroom. The judge said he will request that Weinstein be held in the infirmary after his lawyers said he needs medical attention following an unsuccessful back surgery.

Weinstein faced five charges of rape and sexual assault – one count of rape in the first degree, one count of rape in the third degree, one count of a criminal sexual act in the first degree, and two counts of predatory sexual assault – to which he pleaded not guilty.

The charges were in relation to allegations made by two women. Weinstein was accused of raping a woman in a New York hotel room in 2013 and forcibly performing oral sex on another woman in 2006.

Weinstein, who denied all allegations of non-consensual sex, did not testify in the trial.

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