Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who decided not to prosecute Harvey Weinstein in 2015 despite having an audio recording of the mogul admitting to a sexual assault, went ahead and took a victory lap after Weinstein was found guilty Monday of charges of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sex act. “Harvey Weinstein has finally been held accountable for crimes he has committed,” Vance told a crowd of reporters. “The women who came forward courageously and at great risk made that happen. Weinstein is a vicious, serial sexual predator who used his power to threaten, rape, assault, trick, humiliate, and silence his victims.” Vance previously faced calls to resign over his handling of the sexual-abuse case in 2015 involving Weinstein and model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. Weinstein reportedly admitted to groping Gutierrez in the audio recording, which was part of a New York Police Department sting operation. “With this verdict, I hope that survivors will see in the justice system they will be believed,” Vance said on Monday. “This is a big day. I hope women will understand the significance of the jury verdict today.”
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