A New York appeals court overturned Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction in 2020, saying the trial ruled that he had not allowed other women to testify about alleged attacks that the movie mogul had not been charged with in that specific case.
More than 100 women, including some of the world’s most prominent actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since 2017.
After his felon trial in New York in 2020, a civil lawsuit awarded $17 million to dozens of other women who had accused Weinstein of abuse. In 2022, he was also convicted of rape in California and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Here are some of the reactions to Thursday’s decision:
“Today’s ruling is just a victory for Harvey Weinstein, but it’s a victory for every citizen of this country charged with a crime, and no matter how popular or unpopular, the court has stated loudly and transparently that they are entitled to all sanctions. the protections of our United States Constitution and our New York State Constitution.
“Harvey was rightly convicted. It is unfortunate that the court overturns his conviction. As a survivor, I am beyond disappointed.
“A jury in California heard that he had been convicted of rape in the state. . . It turned out that he shouldn’t have been convicted, and it wasn’t a fair sentence. . . This undermined his presumption of innocence in a significant way. in California.
“Because the brave women in this case broke their silence, millions and millions more discovered the strength to go ahead and do the same. It will be victory. This doesn’t replace anything. And other people who abuse their strength and privilege to rape and harm others will be the bad guys. This doesn’t replace anything.
“I am grateful to the Los Angeles District Attorney and the women who endured super emotional pain as they relived the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Weinstein during a second trial.
“Some thought the L. A. case was superfluous in light of the New York verdict, but now we realize how important it is. “
– Mira Sorvino (@MiraSorvino) April 25, 2024
“Today’s resolution unfortunately casts a shadow over their courage and will no doubt deter those suffering from long-term sexual assault from coming forward.
“To all the victims of sexual assault who are traumatized by today’s decision, I am so sorry. “
“The quashing of the conviction highlights the importance of the civil suit, which is the only recourse available to denounce predators and the establishments that enable them.
“Because of laws like New York’s Child Victims Act, predators continue to be reported even with felon convictions. “
“Today’s resolution reinforces what we already know from our survey of more than 13,000 entertainment workers. We have noted a lack of progress in addressing the imbalances of force that enable abuse and that sexual assault remains a pervasive problem.
“Today is an act of institutional betrayal. “
“They will never tear down who we are. Blessings to all who gave their all.
“This is a very sad day for countless women who have suffered at the hands of a serial predator. Two juries have said it unequivocally: Harvey Weinstein will never be allowed to rape another woman and deserves to spend the rest of his life. Life bars. Harvey Weinstein is a serial predator and rapist.
“The majority of men are men, they are serial perpetrators of acts of violence against women that harm our society. “
“Today’s news is only disheartening, but also profoundly unfair.
“But this resolution does not diminish the validity of our reports or our truth; it is just a setback. The convicted man continues to serve his sentence in a California prison. When survivors around the world broke their silence in 2017, the world changed. We continue standing strong and advocating for this change. We will continue to fight for justice for survivors around the world.
“We will do everything in our power to retry this case and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault. “
– Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) April 25, 2024
“Today’s resolution is a major step backwards in prosecuting perpetrators of sexual violence. Courts routinely admit evidence of other uncharged acts when it helps jurors understand issues related to the defendant’s intent, modus operandi, or plan. The jury has been informed of the relevance of this testimony and the overturning of the verdict is tragic insofar as it will force those affected to go through another trial.