Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years in prison

An unrepentant Harvey Weinstein says #MeToo is denying thousands of men due process as a judge imposes a heavy jail term.

Harvey Weinstein arrives at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City.

Harvey Weinstein, the once-powerful and internationally acclaimed Hollywood producer, was sentenced to 23 years in a New York state prison on Thursday following a conviction stemming from sexual-assault allegations that sparked the #MeToo movement.

The sentence marks a shocking turn for Weinstein, 67, who was viewed as one of Hollywood’s most skilled executives until a wave of women accused him of sexual misconduct beginning in 2017.

Hours after the sentencing, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office started the extradition process for Weinstein to face sexual assault charges in California filed against him in January.

Weinstein was charged in Los Angeles on January 6 with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in 2013. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office said no arraignment date has yet been set for Weinstein.

Actresses Lauren Young, Jessica Mann and Dawn Dunning walk out of the courthouse after Harvey Weinstein’s sentencing. Picture: AFP

It was not clear how long the extradition process would take. Weinstein was charged with raping a woman at a hotel in Los Angeles in February 2013, and the next day sexually assaulting a woman at a hotel suite in Beverly Hills. If convicted in California, he faces up to 28 years in prison.

A Manhattan jury convicted Weinstein on Feburary 24 on two counts: first-degree criminal sexual act, for forcing oral sex on Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006; and third-degree rape, for having nonconsensual sex with then-aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.

He was acquitted of the most severe charges — two counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a possible life sentence. The jury ultimately decided against convicting Weinstein of raping former Sopranos star Annabella Sciorra in the early 1990s.

New York Supreme Court Justice James Burke sentenced Weinstein to 20 years on the charge of criminal sexual act and three years on the third-degree rape, to be served back to back. The maximum sentence for each count was 25 years and four years, respectively.

The judge said the sentence reflected evidence that Weinstein had sexually assaulted other women beyond the allegations he was convicted of.

“Although this is a first conviction, it is not a first offence,” Justice Burke said.

In a rambling statement, the Hollywood producer, who arrived by wheelchair and was taken to hospital after complaining of chest pains hours after the court hearing, addressed the allegations for the first time in court, expressing “great remorse for all the women who are going through this crisis,” but not apologising or admitting that he did anything wrong. He said the #MeToo movement had stripped men of due process and compared it to how communists were once treated.

“I was the first example and now there are of thousands of men being accused. I’m worried about this country,” he added.

He said he was “confused” and that he believed he had a “serious friendship” with Mann and Haleyi.

Turning to the front row, where six women who testified against him sat with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, he said: “My empathy has grown.”

Weinstein was promptly wheeled out of the room after Justice Burke imposed the sentence and deemed him a convicted sex offender. The women wept and embraced each other. Spectators cheered in the courthouse hallway as the accusers walked out of the courtroom for the last time.

The sentence followed a seven-week trial. Prosecutors called 28 witnesses to the stand, including six women who offered gripping testimony alleging sexual misconduct by Weinstein. The defence team tried to undermine the women during lengthy cross examinations, pointing to their yearslong consensual relationships that continued after the alleged attacks.

Weinstein has denied ever having nonconsensual sex. “I’m innocent. I’m innocent. I’m innocent,” he told his lawyers after the foreman read the verdict aloud. His attorneys have said they would appeal the verdict.

Both Ms Haley and Ms Mann gave impassioned statements to the court describing the impact of Weinstein’s crimes.

Haley described how her assault altered the course of her life and said she was confident Weinstein would continue to offend if he wasn’t behind bars. “I am relieved to know he’s not out there, feeling even more empowered,” she said. “He will now know he’s not above the law.”

Weinstein turned toward the podium when Ms Mann, with whom he had a yearslong relationship, began speaking. The hairstylist recounted Weinstein’s “ox-like” strength and explained that “fight and flight” weren’t possible during her attack. She described her testimony as painful but empowering.

“Rape is not just one moment of penetration,” she said. “The impact will last a lifetime.” Lead defence attorney Donna Rotunno had asked Justice Burke to sentence Weinstein to the minimum of five years, citing his professional accomplishments and the impact his incarceration would have on his youngest children, aged six and nine. Given his age and deteriorating health, it is possible he wouldn’t live to see the end of a five-year sentence.

But Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi said Weinstein had been “using and abusing people his entire life,” reading from a lengthy list of quotes describing him: “a devil;” “a frightening power addict;” “a screaming bully;” “extremely temperamental;” “a rapist.” “This is the life this man has led,” she said.

The Wall Street Journal