US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday February 25 that the fact that ex-Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was convicted of sexual assault was a " very strong message ". " I think from a women's perspective (...) it's a big win, it sends a very strong message ," Trump said at a press conference in New Delhi. He stressed that he was not a big " fan " of Mr. Weinstein, insisting on his proximity to the Democrats. " Michelle Obama adored her, Hillary Clinton adored her, " he said.
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The influential independent film producer was found guilty on Monday by a New York court of sexual assault and rape but avoided a conviction for the most serious charges, a verdict applauded by the #MeToo movement and several of its accusers. The 67-year-old Mr. Weinstein was immediately imprisoned in the infamous Rikers Island prison while awaiting sentencing on March 11. He faces up to 29 years in prison.
The jurors were to decide on the testimony of three women, among the more than 80 who accused Harvey Weinstein of harassment or sexual assault. In the end, they found him guilty only of the two least serious counts, the sexual assault of former production assistant Mimi Haleyi, in 2006, and the rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann, in 2013. However , they exonerated the producer of a more serious rape count linked to Jessica Mann, and especially of the aggravating circumstance of " predatory " behavior.
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This is the first conviction in a post-MeToo case. The conviction, in April 2018, of the actor Bill Cosby resulted from prosecutions started in 2015, before the anti-sexual assault movement started in October 2017.
