Weinstein Guilty of 3 Sex Crimes in L.A.; Jury Deadlocks on Newsom's Wife

A Los Angeles jury on Monday found disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of rape in the film producer's second criminal trial.

Weinstein, 70, who is already serving a 23-year prison sentence in New York for sexual assault, was found guilty on three criminal charges, including rape, forced oral copulation and another sexual misconduct count involving an Italian model who said Weinstein showed up to her hotel room in 2013 uninvited, according to the Associated Press (AP).

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on several other counts Weinstein faced in California, however, including charges relating to the wife of state Governor Gavin Newsom. Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentary filmmaker, testified that Weinstein had raped her in a hotel room in 2005, the AP reported.

Siebel Newsom was one of four women who accused Weinstein of assault from 2005 to 2013. Monday's guilty verdicts were all tied to one of the accusers known as Jane Doe 1 in court, reported NBC News.

In addition to Siebel Newsom's case, AP noted, the four women and eight men of the jury were hung on the charges involving Lauren Young, who also testified at Weinstein's New York trial. Weinstein was acquitted of a sexual battery allegation leveled by a massage therapist from a 2010 encounter in a hotel.

Weinstein faces up to 24 years for Monday's verdict. According to a release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the jury will meet again on Tuesday "to consider aggravating factors that will help determine the outcome of Weinstein's sentencing hearing."

In a statement released shortly after the guilty verdict, Siebel Newsom said, "Weinstein will never be able to rape another woman."

"He will spend the rest of his life behind bars where he belongs," California's first partner added.

Jane Doe 1 also released a statement after the verdict, saying Weinstein "forever destroyed a part of me that night in 2013 and I will never get that back."

"The criminal trial was brutal and Weinstein's lawyers put me through hell on the witness stand, but I knew I had to see this through to the end," said the victim, according to the statement posted by Meghann Cuniff, senior reporter at Law & Crime.

Since 2017, nearly 90 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, often involving allegations of the film producer offering aspiring stars boosts to their careers in return for sexual favors. The first women stepped forward with the help of two journalists at The New York Times, who reported in October of that year on more than three decades of sexual assault allegations against Weinstein.

Weinstein and his lawyers have remained adamant that the former Hollywood producer is not guilty of the allegations, and pleaded not guilty to the charges in Los Angeles.

Actress Mira Sorvino, who accused Weinstein of harassment in 2017, tweeted about the verdict Monday night, writing, "I only regret that Jane Doe #2 & Jennifer Siebel Newsom & Lauren Young were denied justice."

In a statement shared with Newsweek, Governor Newsom said he was "so incredibly proud of my wife and all the brave women who came forward to share their truth and uplift countless survivors who cannot."

"Their strength, courage and conviction is a powerful example and inspiration to all of us," he continued. "We must keep fighting to ensure that survivors are supported and that their voices are heard."

Specialists from the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) sexual assault hotline are available 24/7 via phone (1 (800) 656-4673) and online chat. Additional support from the group is also accessible via the mobile app.

Update 12/20/22, 6:13 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional comment from Governor Newsom's office.