In this interview, Dennis Prager talks with documentary filmmaker Ann McElhinney about the Harvey Weinstein criminal trial and its aftermath. McElhinney describes the courtroom atmosphere, noting that the judge was unusually aggressive toward the defense and that the sentencing—23 years total, comprising 20 years for a third‑degree rape (oral assault) and an additional three years for a related charge—was far harsher than comparable cases. She argues the case was heavily politicized, labeling the outcome as "mob justice" and warning that such politicized prosecutions could set a precedent for future cases. The conversation also touches on the credibility of witnesses, including a friend who testified for the defense, and the limited number of women (Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann) whose testimonies were deemed admissible. McElhinney promotes her daily reenactment podcast, theHarveyWeinsteinPodcast.com, which provides updates and verdict details. Throughout, both hosts emphasize concerns about the fairness of the trial, the role of political bias in the justice system, and the broader implications for society.
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And they both went to the Harvey Weinstein trial and they broadcast each day some of the testimony. When we last spoke, and you and not only you, I mean others who had heard the testimony, they thought that he might not be convicted. What happened?
Yeah, well, yeah, exactly as you say. Anyone who sat in that court, I think, who has any, you know, modicum of sense or common sense would have believed that he would have walked, that the case should never have come to court at all in the first place given the two women that were accusing him. However, that's of course not the case because we're living in highly politicized times where mob justice is what, you know, rules the day. And he's got 23 years, um, 20 years for one of the, for one of the assaults, one of these alleged assaults that are now he's been convicted of, and 3 to run consecutively. And it's interesting, you know, in the court, we had Arthur Aydallah for the defense basically saying to the judge— and the judge was unbelievable, Dennis, like extremely aggressive to the lawyers, you know, who were doing their job defending their client. Like, he was really, really sarcastic, you know, whatever, you know, what was it, you know, unbelievable. Knock yourself out. At one stage they said, you know, do you mind if the three of us speak, you know, the three lawyers? I'd like to say something. 'Oh, knock yourself out,' you know, in a context where you're talking about, as one of the lawyers said, Damon Chironis said, 'We're here for this man's life, you know, do you mind if we have a little bit of time here?' So he was very, you know, really, really aggressive. And I think what, as I said, Arthur Aydallah pointed out yesterday, was that similar acts and similar cases that have been judged by this very judge got very small sentences. 7.5 to 8 years was the mean of the sentences for similar offenses And in this case, where you have somebody who has never, you know, was never convicted of anything in the past, it's extraordinary. And it is political, and it's really bad for justice, and it's bad for you and me, because today they went after a scumbag, and tomorrow they're coming.
That's right. That's exactly right. This is, this is exactly the case. I I'm in a tough position here because I have to use a term that I don't want little kids to necessarily hear. The parents can finesse it, but I have no choice. I don't think people understand the way he was— what he was convicted of. So let me handle this and then you react.
Right.
There were two women. One is— was third-degree rape, correct?
Correct.
Which, I mean, I didn't know there were degrees. I have no problem with it being there. I mean, there's first-degree and second-degree and third-degree murder, so I understand that. So, uh, that— but that was only four years, correct?
Correct. That's three years.
So, right. So, folks, so 19 years to a man in his late 60s, 19 years in prison for— and now I know you know it, and I want to make sure I know it.
Yes, I know where you're going here.
For engaging in oral intimacy with a woman against her will. Is that correct?
That's the one he got. He actually got 20 years for that offense. Okay, he got 3 years. Total is 23.
Okay, so I want people to understand here, correct? You are correct, right? So I— when, when I read that, I read it twice. So, uh, he, uh, he performed that act Correct. Uh, and, and first of all, I'm not exactly— I mean, explain to me how, with— without actually, yeah, uh, tying somebody down, how do you do that against their will?
Well, you know, I mean, I, I, with— I, you know, of course, Dennis. And by the way, without even having to get too graphic here, this is a hotel suite. Her friend is outside the door in that, in that same hotel suite. The girl, the girl involved who claimed that this happened, uh, didn't shout out. There was no kind of shouting out. And after this happened, she came out of the room and the woman who was there, her friend, registered nothing. Registered nothing. That nothing had happened. That nothing—
didn't— and by the way, didn't that friend testify for the defense?
Yes, well, reluctantly, very reluctantly, but did testify for the defense. I mean, this is, you know, and obviously, you know, we talked before when I was speaking to you about this during the case. These two women, you know, Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann, I mean, their stories are— and I've done, you know, I've been around, you know, you know, going to get my hair done yesterday, even telling the hairdresser about it. And here's what I say to people, because anyone who doesn't know anything about the case says, oh, I hope he burns, I hope he does. It's incredible. And by the way, Conservatives and Liberals alike, which is disappointing to me. I hope he dies. Oh, I wish they would, whatever. And then I say to people, can I just ask you a couple of questions? Because, you know, after— and you, I think, were as shocked as I was at the beginning when the 90 women reduced down to 2, that they could only find 2 women that they felt that they could stand up the cases in court. And that those 2 women, when then, when we heard the details of those 2 women's interactions with him, I mean, I, I, it was beyond comprehension. It is beyond comprehension how this man is in prison today. And it is, it's a travesty and a tragedy, and he will die in prison, um, and they're going to make sure he does. And it's, it's not a good day for women, by the way. It's not a good, good day for justice. And it's interesting, I talked to a friend of mine about it, a psychiatrist, and she, she was listening to our podcast, which all your listeners can listen to, theharveyweinsteinpodcast.com, um, where we had reenactments, daily reenactments. And actually, today's one that came out this morning has the whole of the verdict with everyone speaking, including the two witnesses, the sentencing I should say. And people who, you know, once you say to them, well, here's what happened. This one woman, in the case of Miriam Haley, she, you know, she, the day after the alleged assault, the, you know, the alleged rape, she took a plane paid for by him, went to Los Angeles, spent a holiday there, came back. The first person she basically went to see was him, had consensual sex, and then asked him to fly her to London. When she was in London staying in a posh hotel all paid for by him, she wrote to him and said 'Oh, I've just worked out that you're going to be in London. I'm going to try and change my flight so that I'm here when you're here.' Sorry, I mean, I'm really— this, for me, this defies logic. And for people saying, you know, 'Are women powerful?' We are. We are able to say— we can— we are human beings. We can— we make choices. And if we live in a world where women completely have no, no power at all, I don't believe we live in that world. This isn't the 19th century. People can say no. People can say, 'I want to be alone now. I'm not traveling. I'm not going to London. I'm not writing to you ever again. I'm never—
all right, we're going to become a member of the Soho Club. Tell people where, uh, where to go to hear your broadcast.
So it's the Harvey Weinstein— HarveyWeinsteinPodcast.com, WeinsteinPodcast.com, and they'll find it.
So either way— wait, wait, Harvey Weinstein or Weinstein?
HarveyWeinsteinPodcast.com.
Okay, listen, I want to talk to you again next week. This is extremely important if you care about justice. I don't care about that man. I do care about justice.
