Harvey Weinstein witness Miriam Haley says guilty verdict was "a huge relief"

Harvey Weinstein will face a sentence of up to 29 years in prison thanks, in part, to the testimony of Miriam Haley. Haley was one of the two main witnesses in Weinstein's trial, which ended Monday when the disgraced Hollywood mogul was found guilty of rape in the third degree and criminal sexual act in the first degree. Haley testified that Weinstein forced oral sex on her in 2006.

Haley told "CBS This Morning" she was relieved by the guilty verdict.

"It was a huge relief that the jury got it," Haley said. "I felt just very grateful that they — that I'd been heard and believed. And, yeah, I mean, I'm still processing, I think. But, it was just a relief."

Until the verdict was announced, Haley said she didn't know if Weinstein would be convicted.

"I wasn't sure what was going to happen, to be honest," Haley said. "I mean, the statistics say that most rapists... walk. So I didn't know which way it would go. But I'm just very relieved and grateful and happy that it feels like we're making progress."

Haley said she hopes her experience can help people be more realistic about how they view sexual assault.

"I just think that we're being educated about the reality of sexual assaults and sexual assault victims and what sexual assaults usually or more often than not involve," Haley said. "It's not always just a stranger. It is very often somebody that the person knows."

Gloria Allred, Haley's attorney, called the verdict a reckoning.

"This is the time when we have the empowerment of women, when women are not only speaking up and speaking out, but willing to testify in a court of law under oath," Allred said. "Others who are out there thinking of hurting women or who already have committed crimes of gender violence against women should understand they may be next. Because there are going to be consequences. And this is the way we start to begin to stop violence against women, when those who are going to hurt them know that there could be serious consequences."

Weinstein was acquitted on charges of predatory sexual assault, which carried a possible life sentence. Those charges hinged on the testimony of "Sopranos" actress Annabella Sciorra, who said Weinstein barged his way into her New York apartment in late 1993 or early 1994, pinned her to a bed and raped her.

Allred said the acquittal on those counts shouldn't reflect upon Sciorra.

"It's a very high burden of proof to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. And I don't know if there were compromises, horse-trading in the jury. I don't know," Allred said. "But whatever that took place in the jury, it's not a reflection on Annabella. I mean, she was brave, she sacrificed so much time. She went through so much in this case."

Ultimately, Allred said, the guilty verdict against Weinstein means no one is beyond consequences for violence against women.

"And even if you're rich, even if you're powerful, even if you're famous, like Harvey Weinstein, you are also subject to the law, and you don't have a special license to hurt women," Allred said. 

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