Summary: The Harvey Weinstein scandal began on October 5, 2017. Weinstein, a famous film producer, had many sexual harassment allegations made against him. On May 25, 2018, Weinstein turned himself in to the NYPD on sexual misconduct charges. The trial process began on January 6, 2020. After listening to weeks of testimonies, the jury in Harvey Weinstein's rape trial began deliberations this week. After four days of deliberations, they were still not able to reach a consensus. They sent a note to the judge asking if they could return a unanimous verdict on one of the lesser charges of rape and sexual assault, but stay split on two charges of predatory sexual assault. Those two charges of predatory sexual assault carry a possible life sentence, while the rape and sexual assault charge will only give him 25 years in prison. The prosecutors were not willing to accept a partial verdict, so the judge told the jury to continue deliberating. Deliberations will resume on Monday.
Reaction: With all of the allegations that are made against Harvey, I think a decision should be made soon so he can go to jail and not ruin more people's lives. Considering all of the evidence and testimonies, I can understand how it might be difficult to decide on what to do. If Weinstein is convicted of all charges, then this would be triumphant for the #MeToo movement and for the women who were brave enough to testify against such an influential and powerful person. It would convince more people to come through and speak up about these issues.
Connection to History: This relates to the anti-rape movement which came about during the later 1960s and early 1970s when new concepts of rape emerged out of second-wave feminism. It sought to combat violence against women and the abuse of women. This also relates to the rules 412, 413, 414, and 415 that were adopted into the Federal Rules of Evidence in 1975. These rules, more commonly known as "rape shield" laws, prevent evidence of a victim's past sexual history from being used against them.
Question: What is your opinion about this whole situation? What do you think the jury's verdict will be? What do you think it should be?
I think that the women who actually spoke up about the situation are brave. He's a huge name in the industry and could've ruined their careers if they exposed him. If the prosecutors are not accepting a partial verdict, the jury's verdict will probably make Weinstein guilty. I think that Weinstein should be guilty of all charges because there are enough charges that are he is actually responsible for with evidence. I think that this helps other women who have also been through these situations not feel alone and help others also tell their story and speak up.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. It's not easy to put yourself out there and talk these things, but I think these women were extra brave because Weinstein, like you said, is a huge name in the industry and could've easily meddled with their careers. Convicting Weinstein on all charges would definitely encourage more women to speak up about their own stories. Weinstein deserves to be punished for all the trauma he caused.
DeleteI don't think that it should be taking this long to reach a verdict. I understand that it is a very complex process, but with all of the allegations against Weinstein, it's hard to ignore the extremely disgusting things he's been accused of. Especially if, in the end, the allegations are not all taken seriously, think about what kind of message that is sending to the women who had the courage to speak up about something as sensitive as sexual assault. It's in essence saying "hey, we don't believe you," and could discourage others from reporting abuse because they don't think people will take their voice seriously.
ReplyDeleteI have kept up with the Weinstein trial since 2017 as it is important to me and relevant to the #MeToo movement as well. I know that there have been not only many claims against him, but there has also been concrete evidence presented that should have him in prison for life by now. It would be vindication and a huge victory for women who made allegations against him, and it would prove to women everywhere that we can be heard. As to what the jury will decide, I think they will end up finding him guilty. The trial is on the world stage, and people everywhere know him and want him to go away for his inexcusable actions. If it's between life in prison or letting him walk free, I'm confident that he will be incarcerated for the safety of womankind.
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