Douglas Wigdor: Weinstein May Be Looking at a Life Sentence

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: But let me ask you what your reaction is. You’re standing outside the court. This was a case that you were involved in. What’s your reaction?

DOUGLAS WIGDOR, ATTORNEY FOR WITNESS IN THE WEINSTEIN TRIAL: Well, it’s really pandemonium here at the courthouse. What we’re not seeing is Harvey Weinstein walk out of the courthouse because he was remanded, put into custody for being found guilty for a B felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years and another felony which carries a maximum sentence of four years. So, it’s pretty clear that Harvey Weinstein is going to do significant jail time. And I think in large measure, what really happened here at this trial was that you had six women testify and that was just too much for the defense to overcome and ultimately, they found in favor of both of the main victims, at least in part. And so, it’s a really big victory, I think, for all of the women, all of the sexual assault survivors who have a voice through these six women.

AMANPOUR: Douglas Wigdor, the last time we spoke it was when the case went to the jury or actually, when the prosecution and defense were making their closing arguments. So, let me just ask you, because then you’re a little bit nervous because of, you know, the idea that the two main plaintiffs had these supposed consensual relationships with him afterwards, and et cetera, that I was just discussing with Anne Milgram. You must be particularly pleased, and particularly since you represented a woman who was a witness. She brought her testimony not as a plaintiff, sort of, you know, an a-list plaintiff but as a witness to testify to a pattern of behavior, Tarale Wulff.

WIGDOR: Right. You had three of those types of witnesses testify in this case, these so-called Molineux witness who really supported the two main victims, as did Annabella Sciorra, who is another witness. But really, what I think the verdict shows is despite some of those defenses about being in contact with Harvey Weinstein after the fact, that there were e-mails and other contacts after the fact, we, as a society, have really changed a lot post #MeToo. And people now understand the dynamics of rape and sexual assault, that they don’t occur with strangers, that sexual assault survivors remain in contact with the predator that raped or sexually assaulted them. And this verdict today is really a testament to that exact ideal. And while they didn’t convict Harvey Weinstein of the top two counts, the predatory sexual assaults, he is convicted of a B felony, which I said, carries a 25-year sentence. And I think this judge, who has been very by the book and very tough, but fair, I think that Harvey Weinstein is looking at what may be ultimately a life sentence anyway.