Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty by a Los Angeles court of rape and two counts of sexual harassment, only half of the charges against him, AFP and Reuters reported. Weinstein is already serving a 23-year prison term after being convicted in New York in 2020 of similar crimes. More than 80 women, including actresses such as Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Gwyneth Paltrow, have accused him of sexual harassment, rape or assault.

After deliberating for two weeks, a jury found Weinstein guilty of all charges brought by the first of four women who filed a complaint against him. The jury found him not guilty of the charges brought by the second woman and returned no verdict on the charges brought by the other two.

Weinstein, 70, the producer of blockbusters such as Pulp Fiction and The Artist, is already serving a 23-year prison sentence after being convicted in New York in 2020 of similar crimes. He faces another 24 years behind bars after being sentenced in Los Angeles.

“It destroyed a part of me forever”

“Harvey Weinstein destroyed a part of me forever,” the first victim to whom the jury gave full justice responded on Monday in a statement, writes Agerpres. Keeping her identity a secret like the other plaintiffs, she said she hopes Weinstein “never sees a prison cell again in his life.”

In this new lawsuit, four women accuse the former Hollywood producer of forcing them to have sex at hotels in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles between 2004 and 2013. The fifth woman refused to testify.

After weeks of hearings often punctuated by sobs from plaintiffs, the prosecution described Weinstein as a “predator” whose influence in Hollywood — the films he’s produced have garnered more than 330 Oscar nominations and 81 statues — has long prevented victims from speaking out for fear of repercussions. his career.

More than 80 women, including actresses such as Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Gwyneth Paltrow, have accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment, rape or violence since an article in The New York Times appeared in early October 2017 detailing several complaints. against the producer of the film.

Media investigations that revealed the first allegations in 2017 fueled the #MeToo movement, which inspired more women to publicly accuse powerful men in Hollywood and beyond of misconduct.