'We've come too far': Weinstein's overturned rape conviction won't stop #MeToo movement, advocates say
A day after learning that Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction was overturned by New York's highest court, one of the women whose testimony was at the heart of his trial said she was "sick to my stomach."
A day after learning that Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction was overturned by New York's highest court, one of the women whose testimony was at the heart of his trial said she was "sick to my stomach."
But Mimi Haley, a former TV and film production assistant, said Friday that she has no regrets about confronting Weinstein, the once-power Hollywood mogul, in such a public setting, and would "consider" retestifying if prosecutors press for a new trial. She declined to say for certain, adding that the preparation for the first one was daunting.
"While this is a setback, it will not undo the leaps forward we have made," she told reporters, "and it will never undo the truth."
Despite the 4-3 decision Thursday by the New York Court of Appeals to overturn Weinstein's conviction, those who have been firmly fixed in the #MeToo movement — sexual assault survivors and their advocates and legal representatives — say holding those in positions of power accountable will not, and should not, change.
"I think there's been such a seismic shift on how survivors use their voices. I don't think it’s going to shame or shut survivors down into silence," said Elizabeth Fegan, a Chicago lawyer who has represented women who have accused Weinstein of sexual abuse in civil litigation.
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