Jurors in the Harvey Weinstein trial on Monday found the disgraced movie mogul guilty of committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree — but also cleared him of more serious charges: predatory sexual assault and rape in the first degree. Weinstein’s bail was revoked and he was taken into custody. He now faces up to 29 years in prison.
In an exclusive interview with “CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King, one of the jurors in the trial — who asked to only be identified by his first name, Drew — explained how the group reached their decision.
King: The jury convicted on criminal sexual act in the first degree and third degree rape.
Drew: That’s correct.
King: How did you all reach that conclusion?
Drew: It was our deduction and interpretation of the law […] regardless of behaviors before or after an alleged incident — on this day at this time and that place. Can you do that? And the answer for the convictions is no, and that’s a crime.
King: And it was that simple?
Drew: No – there was nothing simple about it. Nothing simple about it.
King: But you were saying the before and after — you said you didn’t really take that into account, you really focused on this particular act on this particular day?
Drew: 100%.
King also asked Drew about how the jury managed to keep the news out of their deliberations.
King: You know, we always hear, “Do not read about this case, do not discuss this case with anyone.” How are you able to do that in a world where everything is 24/7 everywhere?
Drew: Oh, to not read the news?
King: Yes, not read the news, to not —
Drew: It was actually kind of nice. Challenging, don’t get me wrong. But, you know —
King: So you didn’t watch television? You didn’t read the paper? You didn’t —
Drew: Definitely didn’t read the paper, the only paper that I read was the crossword puzzle in the morning, you know, on the subway, and stuff like that. It’s important, like every other aspect of it.
King: So you didn’t read the paper, you didn’t watch TV — or did you?
Drew: I watched TV, but I watched the Rangers game, you know? DVR of programs that I like, I definitely didn’t, you know, put on cable news in the background and kind of clean up, or something like that, which I would normally do.
Watch King’s full interview with the juror Friday on “CBS This Morning.”
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