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Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has once again been found guilty of sexual assault following a dramatic retrial in New York, but was acquitted of the most serious charge of raping a teenage model.
The high-profile case, heard before a New York Supreme Criminal Court jury, concluded with Weinstein being convicted of sexually assaulting former assistant Mimi Haley in 2006 and aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. However, the jury found him not guilty of raping Polish model Kaja Sokola, who accused Weinstein of attacking her when she was just 19.
The retrial comes after the shock 2023 decision by the New York Court of Appeals to overturn Weinstein’s original 2020 conviction and 23-year sentence, citing procedural errors that denied him a fair trial.
This second trial saw many of the same survivors bravely return to testify, recounting in harrowing detail the abuses they endured. Sokola’s addition to the witness list added weight to the prosecution’s argument that Weinstein had a clear pattern of predatory behaviour over decades.
Weinstein, who remains incarcerated in California for separate convictions, showed little emotion as the verdict was read. His legal team has vowed to appeal, while prosecutors say they are "relieved" that at least some justice has once again been served.
Women's rights groups have expressed frustration that Weinstein wasn’t found guilty on all counts, but acknowledge the importance of continuing to hold powerful figures accountable. “This is still a win for survivors,” said a spokesperson for the #MeToo movement. “It shows the truth will find its way, even in the face of legal setbacks.”
Weinstein’s downfall in 2017 sparked the global #MeToo movement and led to a wave of reckoning in the entertainment industry and beyond. More than 100 women have publicly accused him of various forms of misconduct.
This retrial verdict reaffirms the long fight for justice and the courage of those who speak out, even against the most powerful.
