Somber Ashley Judd makes first public outing since slamming decision to ... trends now

Ashley Judd looked somber as she stepped out in New York City on Friday - one day after one of Harvey Weinstein rape convictions was overturned.

Weinstein, 72, has been serving 23 years in a New York jail for two sex attacks against aspiring actress Jessica Mann and another involving production assistant Mimi Haleyi.

He was convicted in 2020 but the New York Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the disgraced producer did not receive a fair trial. 

'This is unfair to survivors. We live in our truth. We know what happened,' Judd, who was the first to come forward with allegations against Weinstein, wrote on Instagram. 

The star wore a white dress, sunglasses  and backpack as she walked in Manhattan hours after speaking out.

The actress later told the BBC: 'Oftentimes survivors say that the betrayal and the moral injury we suffer within the system is worse than the sexual body invasion we experienced in the first place.'

Weinstein became the face of the #MeToo movement after dozens of women came forward alleging sexual abuse. Thursday's decision was described as 'profoundly unjust' by his accusers.

Filmmaker and founder of Hire Survivors Hollywood, Sarah Ann Masse, who said she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein, said the overturning of his conviction was 'a devastating but unsurprising miscarriage of justice.'

'I just want to remind people that this overturning of this verdict does not erase his guilt and does not mean that anyone that came forward was not telling the truth, or that what they did wasn't valuable,' she told Good Morning Britain.

Masse added that this was 'just a glitch in the system', which could see victims having to 'go through it all again' in a retrial. 

Former actress and musical director Louisette Geiss, who came forward in 2017 accusing Weinstein of sexually harassing her in 2008, told the breakfast show that it was 'soul crushing' because of 'how challenging it is to actually testify against him and to have to look at him and have to do all the work that it takes to prepare yourself to testify against him.'

She added that she was advocating for people to 'speak up and to fight legislation and state by state.'

'We have to, we have to strengthen it and we have to make sure that what happened in New York does not happen again. I mean, it's absolutely ridiculous,' Geiss said.

Masse, who claimed Weinstein sexually assaulted her when she interviewed to be his nanny, added: 'We're survivors, we're leading this charge and legislative change is deeply important.'

'This is a very sad day for countless women who suffered at the hands of a serial predator,' Siebel Newsom, who testified against Weinstein in California as one of his victims, said on Thursday. 

'Two juries have said unequivocally: Harvey Weinstein must never be able to rape another woman, and he deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars. Harvey Weinstein is a serial predator and rapist.'

American actress Mira Sorvino, who previously made allegations against Weinstein and won an Oscar for Mighty Aphrodite, tweeted that she was 'disgusted' at the justice system and 'horrified'. 

'Harvey was rightfully convicted. It's unfortunate that the court has overturned his conviction. As a survivor, I am beyond disappointed,' Rosanna Arquette, actress and Weinstein accuser, told The Hollywood Reporter.

'Woke up to this news. I feel more than ever how important it is to keep breaking silence about sexual predators, and to keep supporting victims as they speak out,' Weinstein accuser and actress Katherine Kendall wrote on Instagram.

Rose McGowan, actress and Weinstein accuser, added: 'They will never overturn who we are.'

Model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez said on X: 'This is an ongoing failure of the justice system - and the courts - to take survivors seriously and to protect our interests.