After nearly 30 hours of jury deliberation, Harvey Weinstein was taken into custody today. The disgraced movie producer was found guilty of committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree and third-degree rape. He faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 29. His sentencing will take place at a later date.
News of Weinstein’s guilty verdict spread across the internet, with victims, Me Too supporters, and journalists reacting. Ronan Farrow, whose reporting for The New Yorker helped illuminate allegations against Weinstein, tweeted in support of the women who came forward. “Today’s outcome in Harvey Weinstein’s New York trial is the result of the decisions of multiple women to come forward to journalists and to prosecutors at great personal cost and risk,†he wrote. “Please keep those women in your thoughts today.†Others, like Alyssa Milano, tweeted in support of Annabella Sciorra; Weinstein was not convicted on counts related to her alleged rape.
Many celebrities followed the lengthy trial, including Judd Apatow and Padma Lakshmi. Here’s how Hollywood reacted to the news of Harvey Weinstein’s guilty verdict:
Annabella Sciorra, who accused Weinstein of rape and testified at his trial, had this to say about his conviction as a sexual predator: “My testimony was painful but necessary. I spoke for myself and with the strength of the eighty plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my heart. While we hope for continued righteous outcomes that bring absolute justice, we can never regret breaking the silence. For in speaking truth to power we pave the way for a more just culture, free of the scourge of violence against women.â€
Update: The actor’s union, SAG-AFTRA, has issued a statement through President Gabrielle Carteris regarding the conviction of Weinstein. It reads as follows:
Justice was served today and Harvey Weinstein was held accountable for his crimes. But it is only a beginning. We look forward to the Weinstein prosecution in Los Angeles where he will be brought to answer for other offenses.Â
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We hail the courage and conviction of the powerful survivors who brought this case to trial and saw it through to the verdict. This verdict sends a thunderous message to other harassers and abusers: You can’t run and you can’t hide any longer. Increasingly, if you harass or abuse, you will be reported, you will get caught and you will be prosecuted.
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Our union unequivocally condemns discrimination, harassment and assault in all its forms and remains committed to finding solutions to ensure a safe work environment for our members wherever they work.