The Harvey Weinstein Case
The Harvey Weinstein case, Part 1: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/podcasts/the-daily/harvey-weinstein-trial.html
The Harvey Weinstein case, Part 2: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/podcasts/the-daily/harvey-weinstein-trial.html
The woman defending Harvey Weinstein: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/podcasts/the-daily/weinstein-trial.html
The Weinstein Jury believed the women: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/25/podcasts/the-daily/weinstein.html
The NY Times The Daily podcast had four episodes that covered the Harvey Weinstein trial in early 2020. Listening to all four as a set is really what I recommend, but for Ally Podcast Club we listened to Part 1 together in hopes that it would inspire folks to listen to the rest.
The reporting in this series does a very good job capturing many of the reasons and feelings behind the #metoo movement and the struggles for the women that have been impacted in so many ways. It shows how hard it is for these women to come forward and for someone like Harvey Weinstein to actually go to trial and be convicted. I found myself almost physically reacting while listening to several parts of this series - in particular towards the end of the interview with Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer (you’ll know which part I’m talking about when you hear it) and then feeling genuinely stressed to hear the outcome in the final episode.
Be warned on these ones, there are some graphic descriptions that may be hard to listen to.
Suggested discussion questions (if you need something to start the conversation):
Wow, I had not thought before about how hard it would be to come forward with a story of abuse or to actually get it to trial. Did you have similar reactions? What does that reveal about our own privilege?
What are you feelings about the role of the prosecutors?
The defense tries to make a case around the topic of “consent” though clearly there was a pattern of predatory behavior in this case. How do you feel about the defense? Do you think the laws around these types of cases need to change?