Harvey Weinstein convicted of rape in Los Angeles trial

Published

3 years ago

December 20, 2022

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Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of rape in a trial in California.

The 70-year-old predator had been on trial in Los Angeles, charged with raping and sexually assaulting two women and committing sexual battery against two others.

A jury has found him guilty of raping one woman, but not guilty of sexual battery by restraint of another woman.

The jury was unable to reach verdicts on several counts, including charges involving Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, and the allegations of another woman, with a mistrial declared on those counts.

In addition to being found guilty of rape, Weinstein was found guilty of forced oral copulation and sexual penetration by a foreign object involving the same woman, who said he appeared uninvited at her hotel room during a Los Angeles film festival in 2013.

Weinstein appeared to put his face in his hands when the initial guilty counts were read, then looked forward as the rest of the verdict was read.

He faces up to 24 years in prison when he is sentenced.

“Harvey Weinstein will never be able to rape another woman. He will spend the rest of his life behind bars where he belongs,” Ms Siebel Newsom said in a statement.

“Throughout the trial, Weinstein’s lawyers used sexism, misogyny, and bullying tactics to intimidate, demean, and ridicule us survivors. The trial was a stark reminder that we as a society have work to do.”

Film producer already serving 23-year sentence

The Oscar-winning film producer is already serving a 23-year jail sentence for rape and sexual assault after being convicted in a landmark court case in New York in 2020, which was seen as a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement.

However, earlier this year he was granted permission to appeal.

As such, the month-long LA trial, widely viewed as symbolic, assumed greater significance.

In their closing argument, prosecutors had urged jurors to complete Weinstein’s fall from grace, arguing it was time for his “reign of terror to end”.

In turn, his lawyer had argued the four women were untrustworthy.

Alan Jackson argued the stories of two women who Weinstein was alleged to have sexually assaulted on consecutive days in 2013 “simply never happened”.

He also said Weinstein’s alleged rape and assault of the other two women in 2005 and 2010 were “100% consensual” encounters that the women engaged in for career advancement.

The birth of the #MeToo movement

Once one of Hollywood’s most influential figures, whose films included Shakespeare In Love, Pulp Fiction, The English Patient and Gangs Of New York, Weinstein had the power to make and break careers in the movies.

But in October 2017, in reports by the New York Times and the New Yorker, he was accused of sexual misconduct by a number of women. He was also accused of reaching settlements to keep the stories quiet.

In the months that followed, dozens more women came forward to allege incidents of rape, sexual assault and harassment by Weinstein dating back decades.

He admitted his behaviour had “caused a lot of pain”, but consistently denied all the sexual allegations made against him.

It was a moment that gave birth to the #MeToo movement as women came forward to detail incidents involving powerful figures in the entertainment industry and beyond.

The Pulitzer-prize-winning expose of Weinstein by New York Times reporters has now been turned into a film, She Said, starring Carey Mulligan.

Entertainment

Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

Published

15 hours ago

July 16, 2025

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Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.

Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.

The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.

Both had died from gunshot wounds.

Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.

It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.

According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.

Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.

“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

Entertainment

Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester

Published

16 hours ago

July 16, 2025

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Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week's shows in Manchester

Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.

While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.

Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.

“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.

“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.

“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”

The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.

The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.

More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.

John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.

He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.

“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.

“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”

Entertainment

MasterChef presenter John Torode sacked

Published

23 hours ago

July 15, 2025

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MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.

His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.

On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.

Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.

In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.

The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.

“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.

“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.

“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”

Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.

A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.

“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.

“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”

Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.

Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.

“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.

“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”

Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”

In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.