WEINSTEIN CONVICTION-OVERTURN ENDANGERS WOMEN

In a 4-to-3 decision on Thursday, April 25, New York’s highest court overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction on felony sex crime charges, a reversal that horrified and dismayed many of the women whose decision to speak out against the prominent Hollywood producer, whose sexual assaults of female actors accelerated what became known as the #MeToo movement.

In our show today, we will have as guests two long time activists against the sexual assault of women, one of whom, Sarah Ann Masse, is a Weinstein survivor. Sarah Ann will tell her story and both guests will discuss the ramifications of the overturning of the rape conviction of Weinstein and how it will affect women coming forth with their experiences in the future as well as its possible effect on the  legal tools that survivors will be able to use in Court to obtain justice, if victims of the defendant who are not pressing charges are barred from testifying in future rape cases.

OUR GUESTS

Professor Caroline Heldman is a political scientist and teaches "Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies" at Occidental College in Los Angeles. She's the Executive Director of The Representation Project, and is Adviser for the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. She co-founded End Rape on Campus (EROC), Faculty Against Rape (FAR), End Rape Statute of Limitations (ERSOL) and Stand With Survivors. She has been an supporter of rape survivors through many court cases and is considered an expert on sexual assault legal initiatives and legislation.

Sarah Ann Masse is an actor, writer, filmmaker, and founder of the nonprofit Hire Survivors Hollywood. She is a Weinstein survivor--and although she did not testify at Weinstein's 2020 trial, she was a named plaintiff in the RICO Class Action, helped create the victims fund out of the Weinstein Bankruptcy, spoke to the DA in both NYC and LA, and helped communicate via the press during the trial.

On this show, Sarah Ann Masse, a Weinstein survivor, will tell her riveting story of her 'meeting' with Harvey Weinstein!

MORE ABOUT THE HARVEY WEINSTEIN CASE

The women whose testimony in the original case were the basis of the recently overturned conviction, became known as Molineux witnesses, a term that refers to trial witnesses who are allowed to testify about criminal acts that the defendant has not been charged with committing; the tactic of having them testify to provide necessary proof of context, Weinstein's history and pattern of abuse,was seen by the New York Court of Appeals as "wrongly prejudicing the jury".

The three dissenting judges slammed the majority decision.

Madeline Singa, Anthony Cannataro and Michael J. Garcia — dissented in a pair of scathing opinions that accused the majority of continuing “a disturbing trend of overturning juries’ guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence.”

The dissenting judges said the Appeals Court had ignored evidence that the Molineux witnesses had established: that Mr. Weinstein had displayed a pattern of coercion and manipulation.

Judge Singas said the ruling would make it harder to use such witnesses in future sexual assault cases.“Men who serially sexually exploit their power over women — especially the most vulnerable groups in society — will reap the benefit of today’s decision,” she wrote.

Lindsay Goldbrum, a lawyer who has represented a number of Weinstein’s accusers, said in a statement that the witness testimony at issue was crucial to rebutting the defense’s assertion that the sexual encounters were consensual. The ruling today “will undoubtedly deter future sexual assault victims from coming forward,” she said.

Harvey Weinstein’s conviction in California still stands, but he lawyer in that case, Jennifer Bonjean, said she expected the ruling to help him when he appeals his California conviction on May 20.

This show will offer listeners the Feminist Comic Anthology "Won't Back Down", a full color collection of original graphics by many artists, -- with all comix on the subject of abortion! We will send you this unique collection if you support WBAI with a pledge of $50. or become a "WBAI Buddy" for as little as $10. a month. Call pledge number: (212) 209-2950 or, on the internet, go to give2wbai.org to obtain this "Thank You" gift for helping to keep WBAI going. 

The show will include the Feminist Worldwide News segment and topical music.