#MeToo: Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years in LA lodge room rape case
6 min readBy AFP
LOS ANGELES: Harvey Weinstein was sentenced Thursday to 16 extra years in jail for the rape of a lady in a Beverly Hills lodge room, growing the probability that the disgraced Hollywood mogul will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Weinstein was ordered by a Los Angeles courtroom to serve the most recent sentence — for the assault of a European actress a decade in the past — after he has accomplished his 23-year sentence for an additional intercourse crimes conviction in New York.
Attending courtroom in a wheelchair, the 70-year-old Oscar-winning “Shakespeare in Love” producer begged the decide for “mercy.”
“Please don’t sentence me to life in prison. I don’t deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case,” he mentioned.
But Judge Lisa Lench handed him three consecutive sentences totalling 16 years for forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by a international object, and forcible rape.
The actress, whose id was not revealed, had tearfully referred to as on the decide to offer Weinstein “the maximum sentence allowable.”
“His selfish, disgusting actions have greatly impacted my life,” she mentioned.
“There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage.”
ALSO READ | #MeToo: California governor’s spouse amongst accusers at Harvey Weinstein’s trial
Weinstein’s attorneys mentioned they plan to file an instantaneous attraction of the Los Angeles conviction — which was introduced by a jury in December — and sentence.
The trial had heard express accounts of conferences between the beforehand influential film producer and several other younger ladies who have been searching for a foothold in Hollywood.
Prosecutors mentioned Weinstein exploited and abused ladies for years, and lengthy loved impunity due to his then-powerful place within the business.
The ladies would have risked dropping their future Hollywood job prospects if they’d publicly accused Weinstein on the time, prosecutors mentioned.
Weinstein was finally convicted within the Los Angeles case of assaulting one girl, however acquitted of sexual battery involving a second.
The jury didn’t attain a verdict on prices referring to the alleged assaults of two different ladies, one in every of whom was recognized by her attorneys as Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the now-wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
A protection movement requesting a brand new trial or a lowered verdict was denied on Thursday instantly earlier than the sentencing went forward.
Weinstein’s attorneys claimed they have been precluded from admitting essential proof concerning the rape sufferer — together with Facebook messages with an alleged lover which the decide deemed irrelevant — and that their cross-examination was restricted.
But Lench mentioned the proof had been “properly excluded.”
#MeToo
Weinstein’s behaviour had been the subject of rumours in leisure circles for years, however his energy participant standing in Hollywood ensured few have been keen to publicly name him out.
Bombshell allegations broke towards him in 2017, launching the #MeToo motion and paving the way in which for tons of of girls to combat again towards sexual violence within the office.
Dozens of girls have now accused Weinstein of predatory behaviour.
In New York final June, Weinstein misplaced his first attraction towards his prison verdict and sentence within the state’s intermediate appellate courtroom.
But he has additionally additional appealed that case to the upper New York Court of Appeals.
After his conviction in New York, a civil trial awarded $17 million to dozens of different ladies who had accused the previous film magnate of abuse.
Earlier this month, the European actress who Weinstein was convicted of raping in Los Angeles additionally sued him for damages.
The civil case alleges sexual battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional misery and negligence.
“The conduct of Defendant Weinstein was despicable, and done with malice, oppression and fraud, thus justifying an award of punitive damages against him,” her lawsuit says.
LOS ANGELES: Harvey Weinstein was sentenced Thursday to 16 extra years in jail for the rape of a lady in a Beverly Hills lodge room, growing the probability that the disgraced Hollywood mogul will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Weinstein was ordered by a Los Angeles courtroom to serve the most recent sentence — for the assault of a European actress a decade in the past — after he has accomplished his 23-year sentence for an additional intercourse crimes conviction in New York.
Attending courtroom in a wheelchair, the 70-year-old Oscar-winning “Shakespeare in Love” producer begged the decide for “mercy.”
“Please don’t sentence me to life in prison. I don’t deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case,” he mentioned.
But Judge Lisa Lench handed him three consecutive sentences totalling 16 years for forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by a international object, and forcible rape.
The actress, whose id was not revealed, had tearfully referred to as on the decide to offer Weinstein “the maximum sentence allowable.”
“His selfish, disgusting actions have greatly impacted my life,” she mentioned.
“There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage.”
ALSO READ | #MeToo: California governor’s spouse amongst accusers at Harvey Weinstein’s trial
Weinstein’s attorneys mentioned they plan to file an instantaneous attraction of the Los Angeles conviction — which was introduced by a jury in December — and sentence.
The trial had heard express accounts of conferences between the beforehand influential film producer and several other younger ladies who have been searching for a foothold in Hollywood.
Prosecutors mentioned Weinstein exploited and abused ladies for years, and lengthy loved impunity due to his then-powerful place within the business.
The ladies would have risked dropping their future Hollywood job prospects if they’d publicly accused Weinstein on the time, prosecutors mentioned.
Weinstein was finally convicted within the Los Angeles case of assaulting one girl, however acquitted of sexual battery involving a second.
The jury didn’t attain a verdict on prices referring to the alleged assaults of two different ladies, one in every of whom was recognized by her attorneys as Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the now-wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
A protection movement requesting a brand new trial or a lowered verdict was denied on Thursday instantly earlier than the sentencing went forward.
Weinstein’s attorneys claimed they have been precluded from admitting essential proof concerning the rape sufferer — together with Facebook messages with an alleged lover which the decide deemed irrelevant — and that their cross-examination was restricted.
But Lench mentioned the proof had been “properly excluded.”
#MeToo
Weinstein’s behaviour had been the subject of rumours in leisure circles for years, however his energy participant standing in Hollywood ensured few have been keen to publicly name him out.
Bombshell allegations broke towards him in 2017, launching the #MeToo motion and paving the way in which for tons of of girls to combat again towards sexual violence within the office.
Dozens of girls have now accused Weinstein of predatory behaviour.
In New York final June, Weinstein misplaced his first attraction towards his prison verdict and sentence within the state’s intermediate appellate courtroom.
But he has additionally additional appealed that case to the upper New York Court of Appeals.
After his conviction in New York, a civil trial awarded $17 million to dozens of different ladies who had accused the previous film magnate of abuse.
Earlier this month, the European actress who Weinstein was convicted of raping in Los Angeles additionally sued him for damages.
The civil case alleges sexual battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional misery and negligence.
“The conduct of Defendant Weinstein was despicable, and done with malice, oppression and fraud, thus justifying an award of punitive damages against him,” her lawsuit says.
