How Harvey Weinstein’s Guilty Verdict Could Shape the Future of #MeToo Cases
Harvey Weinstein — the Hollywood titan accused by over 100 women of sexual misconduct — is now a convicted rapist. A Manhattan jury’s verdict, delivered shortly after 11:30 a.m. ET on Monday, sealed the fate of a man whose behaviors toward women have become inextricably linked with the rise of the #MeToo movement. Yet, the convicted mogul’s criminal trial, in all its surprises and disappointments, could indelibly shape how sex crimes are prosecuted and how sexual assault survivors are treated in the court of law moving forward, legal experts observing the trial told TheWrap. “The fact that this case was brought forward and that it resulted in a conviction does suggest that we’re in the midst of real cultural change and progress around correcting our biases about sexual assault and sexual assault survivors (and) how they behave,” Deborah Tuerkheimer, a former Manhattan assistant district attorney, said. “This Weinstein verdict will be a moment in that trajectory, but this is not the end point.” Mark Geragos, a Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney who has represented figures like Michael Jackson, told TheWrap that Monday’s verdict may have “moved the ball on how to define consent in a legal sense.” Also Read: Harvey...
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