During his criminal trial in Los Angeles, disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of rape and three additional offenses. The jury returned with their decision on Monday following three weeks of deliberations. They said Weinstein was responsible for one woman’s rape, forced oral copulation, and sexual penetration by a foreign object. To every case, Weinstein had entered a not guilty plea. He received a 23-year jail term in 2020 as part of a criminal proceeding in New York.
Jennifer Newsom, the wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, testified at the LA trial about an alleged rape committed by Weinstein in 2005. One day after the New York Times published the initial account of Weinstein’s accusations, Jennifer previously wrote about the alleged encounter in an opinion piece from 2017.
“I was naive, new to the business, and didn’t know how to deal with his aggressive advances,” the actress claimed. “Work invitations with a friend late at night at The Toronto Film Festival, and later an invitation to meet with him about a role in The Peninsula Hotel, where staff were present, and then all of a sudden disappeared like clockwork, leaving me alone with this extremely powerful and intimidating Hollywood legend.”
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She stated during her testimony that when she first saw Weinstein in a hotel room, he grabbed her and he attempted to get her to touch him. According to her, the producer grabbed her breast and made her turn away. He did, however, finally make another move. “He starts touching himself and reaches for my breasts. I’m leaning up against the bed and resisting. And he’s caressing himself and my breasts,” she stated. “Horror. Horror. I’m trembling, solid as a rock, and icy. My biggest dread has come true. Jennifer alleged that Weinstein then “stuck part of his penis inside of me” after inserting his fingers into her vagina. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on one count of sexual battery by restraint against the former A-list producer and a hung jury on one count each of forceful oral copulation, rape, and sexual battery by restraint. – Steve Sijenyi
