In a win for the #MeToo women of the world, and in general literally anyone that cares about justice, Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann. Now he’s going to jail for 23 years, and all I can say is “eat shit.”
23 years for Harvey Weinstein. @mega2e and I just witnessed it for ourselves. Weinstein was cuffed to his wheelchair then rolled away. The women who testified sobbed afterwards. Irwin Reiter, his accountant of 30 yrs who secretly helped us break the story, sat just behind.
— jodikantor (@jodikantor) March 11, 2020
Mimi Haleyi’s case was the stuff of nightmares. She testified that Weinstein backed her into his bedroom, held her down on the bed and forced himself upon her orally in 2006. In Jessica Mann’s case, Harvey Weinstein raped her in a hotel room in 2013.
While this feels like a win, these are only two women who have received justice for their trauma – there’s actually over 100 women that accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct over the past few decades. (Here’s a previous explainer.)
A historical moment today. I am so appreciative of the women and men who spoke up about the abuse and harassment they suffered at the hands of Harvey Weinstein.
— Reese Witherspoon (@ReeseW) March 11, 2020
Unfortunately, the jury (of majority men) acquitted Harvey Weinstein of the biggest charges he had: first-degree rape and and two counts of predatory assault. If he’d been found guilty of those, he would’ve got a life sentence.
Weinstein’s lawyers tried to get the sentence to be shorter because they argued he might die in prison anyway, since he’s 67. Not sure how they thought that was a bad thing.
“Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers say he’ll die behind bars if sentenced to more than five years”
pic.twitter.com/zlOykCo8Wg— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) March 11, 2020
Harvey Weinstein, being monster that he is, gave probably one of the worst responses ever when asked for comment after getting his sentence.
“I feel remorse for all of the men who are going through this fight,” he said, having the audacity to imply that men will suffer because of the #MeToo movement – as if men don’t come out victorious in the majority of rape cases. Just so you know, the current stats in America are that only about 5 of every 1,000 sexual assault perpetrators are actually incarcerated.
Weinstein’s brother Bob actually sent a hate email to him in 2017, saying “U deserve a lifetime achievement award for the sheer savagery and immorality and inhumaneness, for the acts u have perpetrated.”
So, again, eat shit Harvey Weinstein.
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