Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has officially been convicted of rape on Thursday, putting the former film mogul behind the bars for fife.
Harvey Weinstein officially convicted of rape; sentenced to 16 years in prison
According to Variety, Weinstein’s sentencing was held in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning, nearly two months after his Los Angeles trial concluded with a jury convicting him on three counts of rape and sexual assault.
Weinstein, who is already serving a 23-year sentence in New York for being convicted of sexual assault in his 2020 criminal trial, has been ordered to serve his L.A. sentence consecutively after New York.
“I maintain that I’m innocent,” Weinstein said in his final plea to Judge Lisa B. Lench before he was sentenced. “This is about money and coming after me,” Weinstein said. “Please don’t sentence me to life in prison. I don’t deserve it… There are so many things wrong with this case. There is no evidence… This is a setup… I beg your mercy.”
As the report cites, Weinstein’s defense asked the judge to sentence him to three years per charge, urging her to look to the man he was “before he became accused as a sexual predator.” His attorney further noted that the film mogul has medical issues and is also a father. “He’s a 70-year-old man in bad health,” the attorney said.
“He lived a full, rich and productive life that included being a father (of) five children… He has become to his children the disembodied voice on the telephone.” He went on to note Weinstein’s film accomplishments saying, “Mr. Weinstein did a lot of good for a lot of people in a 50-year career,” Werksman said. “He produced hundreds of films that were a joy to millions of people.”
He continued, “He was a man that many famous movie stars would thank in their Oscar speeches… He gave generously to charities and political causes.” After Weinstein and his attorneys made their statements, the judge went on to sentence the disgraced producer to 16 years for the three charges “based on the counts relating to Jane Doe #1, a European model who testified she was raped by Weinstein at Mr. C Hotel after the L.A. Italia Film Festival in 2013.”
The report further shares that Weinstein’s team is still fighting for his freedom. His attorneys said on Thursday that they will be appealing the Los Angeles conviction. In New York, the Court of Appeals, which is the highest court in the state, agreed to hear Weinstein’s appeal of his 2020 sex crimes conviction, as per Variety.
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