On Thursday, Harvey Weinstein received a 16-year-long prison sentence over the charges of raping a European actress a decade ago. Read to know more.
Harvey Weinstein receives 16 years in prison
Former producer Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years of prison time over the charge of raping a European actress in a hotel room in Beverly Hills. The 70-year-old is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence over a sex crime conviction in New York. “Please don’t sentence me to life in prison. I don’t deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case,” requested Weinstein. He attended the hearing in a wheelchair.
However, the actress whose identity is not revealed urged the judge to give him “the maximum sentence allowable”. “His selfish, disgusting actions have greatly impacted my life. There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage,” she stated. Judge Lisa Lench handed three consecutive sentences totaling 16 years. They are for sexual penetration by a foreign object, forcible rape, and forcible oral copulation.
More on the LA sexual assault case
Harvey Weinstein’s attorneys stated they will be appealing the LA verdict. However, according to the prosecutors, the producer had abused and exploited women for years. Moreover, he enjoyed impunity from his then-powerful position in the industry. They added that women were risking losing their upcoming prospects if they had accused Weinstein in public back then. He was ultimately convicted in the Los Angeles case for assaulting a woman. However, the jury is yet to decide on charges related to assaults on two other women.
