Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of sexual assault – and is currently in jail while awaiting sentencing.
Weinstein, 67, previously pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping Jessica Mann, a one-time aspiring actress.
On Friday, the jury of seven men and five women asked the judge whether they could be hung on two counts of predatory sexual assault and unanimous on the others, which include first-degree rape.
He was today found guilty on two counts of criminal sexual assault along with third-degree rape, and not guilty on three other counts including predatory sexual assault.
Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty on two counts of criminal sexual assault along with third-degree rape (Image: Getty Images)
The jury of seven men and five women at the New York supreme court took five days to reach their verdict.
The judge has just remanded Weinstein into custody without a bail package for the first time, and will make a judicial request for Weinstein to be placed in the infirmary while in custody.
Once one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers, Weinstein, was acquitted on the most serious charge, predatory sexual assault, which carried a potential life sentence.
Weinstein sat at the defense table reading papers during jury deliberations in his sexual assault trial (Image: REUTERS)
More than 80 women, including famous actresses, had accused him of sexual misconduct stretching back decades.
He had denied the allegations and said any sexual encounters were consensual.
The disgraced Hollywood producer is currently in jail while awaiting his sentence (Image: REUTERS)
During the many weeks of trial, the prosecution methodically elicited graphic testimony from several accusers, including
Haleyi, who said Weinstein invited her to his SoHo home after she had worked on one of his television productions.
One of these women, Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra, told jurors Weinstein came into her apartment one winter night in 1993 or 1994 and raped her.
Though the accusation was too old to be charged as a separate crime, prosecutors offered it to show Weinstein was a repeat sexual offender.
Three other women – costume designer Dawn Dunning, model Tarale Wulff and actress Lauren Young – testified that they were enticed into meeting Weinstein for professional reasons and then groped or raped.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
