“This is not a blow to the movement”: Tarana Burke responds to the overturning of Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction
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“It is a clarion call and we are prepared to answer that call,” says Tarana Burke
“This is not a blow to the movement,” MeToo founder Tarana Burke stated defiantly as she responded to the overturning of Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction in New York.
“It is a clarion call and we are prepared to answer that call,” she proclaimed.
Legal decision sparks a call for a new trial
Her rallying call came after a New York Court of Appeals ruled that Weinstein, once one of Hollywood’s most successful and influential producers, had not received a fair trial back in 2020 because prosecutors called witnesses whose accusations were not part of the charges against him. The consequence: the judges ordered Weinstein to face a new trial.
Supporters and critics voice their opinions
Arthur Aidala, the movie mogul’s lawyer, hailed the decision as a “victory for every criminal defendant in the state of New York,” adding that “there are still people who are very unpopular in our society, but we still have to apply the law fairly to them at that trial. ‘The law was not applied fairly to Harvey Weinstein,’ he said.
Others, however, have said the court ruling should be respected to ensure that everyone is treated fairly. Don Lemon, a television journalist and former CNN news anchor, stated: “I’m not a fan of Harvey Weinstein, it doesn’t mean that I think that he’s innocent, but everyone deserves equal and fair treatment under the law. If there was something that was wrong with his trial, then…it should be adjudicated properly.”
Weinstein’s trial was pivotal for the MeToo movement
Weinstein’s New York trial was pivotal for the MeToo movement, the awareness campaign against sexual abuse that started going viral online after several women came forward alleging that he had sexually abused them. Ms Burke, an activist who works with survivors of sexual violence, began using the phrase “Me Too” in 2006 to raise awareness of women who had been abused.
Accuser shares her disappointment but hopes it will drive legal reform
Rowena Chiu, who claimed she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein in a hotel room in Venice in 1998, expressed her disappointment with the verdict but hopes it will lead to a call for legal reform. She emphasized the difficulty of being successful when bringing a sexual assault case and believes this decision’s impact discourages survivors. Ms Chiu added that the verdict feeds into centuries of darkness for women’s rights.
A movement that persists despite setbacks
Tarana Burke agrees with Ms Chiu’s call for legal reform. She emphasized the continuation of the movement, regardless of the outcome for one singular man, and the need to focus on the judicial system, society, and our collective actions to achieve a world free of sexual violence.
A complex legacy and the call for equality in the legal system
Harvey Weinstein, who remains in prison, was separately convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022. Before the allegations against him emerged, Weinstein, along with his brother Bob, co-founded Miramax Films, which produced numerous critically acclaimed movies. The legal decision generated different viewpoints, expressing the importance of equal treatment and fairness within the legal system.
Watch: Tarana Burke speaks on the overturned conviction alongside Ashley Judd
