Harvey Weinstein Accuser Miriam Haley 'Very Grateful' To Be 'Heard And Believed'; Defense Attorney Says Weinstein 'Upbeat,' 'Looks Forward To Being Vindicated'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The women are responding.
One day after Harvey Weinstein's conviction on rape and a criminal sexual act, some of the women who testified at his Manhattan trial are speaking out.
This comes as Weinstein remains at Bellevue Hospital before heading to Rikers Island as he awaits sentencing.
Weinstein was detoured to Bellevue Monday while on his way to Rikers after complaining of chest pains.
"To me, it looked like he was in good shape. Obviously, for any human being yesterday was an extremely jarring and shocking event. Many of you were at the court. He's not the picture of health by any stretch of imagination. I think it was a precautionary measure to take him here," said defense attorney Arthur Aidala.
Watch: Defense Attorney Arthur Aidala After Visiting Weinstein In Hospital
While Weinstein felt unwell, one woman he was convicted of sexually assaulting felt something different.
"It was just a huge relief," Miriam Haley said.
Miriam Haley's powerful testimony helped lead to Harvey Weinstein's conviction of criminal sexual act in the first degree. She testified that in 2006 he forced a sex act on her.
"I felt just very grateful that I'd been heard and believed," Haley said.
Weinstein was also found guilty of rape in the third degree for the attack on Jessica Mann in 2013.
HARVEY WEINSTEIN TRIAL
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- New York Charges Explained
- A Look Back At The Case
- Full Transcript Of Verdict
Dawn Dunning was one of six women who took the stand, but one of the three he was not facing charges for. She testified as part of the prosecution's extra witnesses to show prior bad acts.
"It was a big moment of us all taking our power back yesterday," Dunning said.
That moment was felt across the country. In Los Angeles, a group of women that calls themselves the "Silence Breakers" - other Weinstein accusers - said Tuesday the verdict is a triump for survivors.
"Change is coming," Rosanna Arquette said.
"Harvey, you messed with the wrong women," one member of the group said.
"Harvey Weinstein is now and will forever be a convicted sexual predator. He is going to jail and this is only the beginning," said another.
But Weinstein's attorney's say they'll fight to get him out, with plans to appeal. So will Weinstein speak at his sentencing?
"I don't know exactly what Mr. Weinstein is going to say at his sentencing, if he speaks at all. He doesn't have to speak. I don't think he's going to take responsibility for anything, because he would be lying if he took responsibility for something. Because he's consistently said i did not do this," Aidala said.
Haley and her attorney, Gloria Allred, spoke to "CBS This Morning" about the outcome.
"I wasn't sure what was going to happen, to be honest," Haley added. "The statistics say that most rapists walk. So I didn't know which way it would go."
The split verdict shows the jury believed Mann and Haley, but doubted Annabella Sciorra's testimony.
"It's not a reflection on Annabella. I mean, she was brave," said Allred, who also represents Sciorra. "She's a real hero, as Mimi is, as Lauren [Marie Young] is to the women's movement, to the victims' rights movement, and we are moving forward for women as a result of her courage."
WATCH: Attorney Gloria Allred Reacts To Weinstein Verdict
The outcome of the trial was a milestone in the #MeToo movement.
Weinstein will eventually be taken to Rikers to await sentencing on March 11. His legal team is already hard at work filing an appeal and working on granting him bail. Defense attorney Arthur Aidala said the appeal will be filed after he is sentenced.
"There is a portion of him where he's just scratching his head. He just doesn't know how this happened. But he's cautiously optimistic that when the appellate division first department really examines what took place throughout this case, really from before the trial began... he's confident in the appellate judicial system that he will be exonerated," Aidala said.
"When we first heard not guilty, and that had to do with the Annabella Sciorra charge, there was a large degree of relief. And then, you know, we wanted to hear the not guilty again, but we didn't, from Miriam Haley. And I think he took a second, and he just looked over at me and he just kept shaking his head and he goes 'But I'm innocent. I'm innocent. I'm innocent. How can this happen in America?'" Aidala said. "It's no secret as to what the defense was here, that these were consensual relationships."
"The only juror that I saw speaking out substantively was an alternate juror, who said it was obvious to her that his was tit for tat. He wanted to something from the women, and the women wanted something from him. We feel strongly that that's in fact what the evidence showed. Obviously, the jury disagreed with us," Aidala said.
Aidala said Weinstein wasn't handcuffed when he visited him in the hospital, though Department of Correction officers are in the hallway.
Aidala said Weinstein was "upbeat," accepting visitors, and "looks forward to being vindicated."
Weinstein could spend up to 29 years in prison and faces additional charges in Los Angeles. He's also facing civil lawsuits.
