A jury in Los Angeles found Harvey Weinstein guilty on all three counts of rape and sexual assault, and he was given a 16-year term on Thursday morning. His trial had lasted over two months.
In the heart of Los Angeles, Weinstein was sentenced. According to media reports, Weinstein was found guilty of rape and sexual assault in New York in 2020, and is currently serving a 23-year term there.
Jane Doe, a European model who stated she was raped by Weinstein at the Mr. C Hotel following the 2013 LA Italia Film Festival, served as the basis for all three of the allegations on which Weinstein was found guilty.
The verdict handed down on Thursday means that Weinstein, who will turn 71 years old next month, will spend the rest of his life behind bars, bringing an end to his reign over Hollywood and his position as one of the most influential figures in the entertainment business.
Yet, his team continues to fight for Weinstein’s survival. His attorneys, Mark Werksman and Alan Jackson, in Los Angeles, submitted a motion in January asking for a new trial with a fresh jury, but the judge denied it on Thursday before the sentencing.
The highest court in New York, the Court of Appeals, decided to hear Weinstein’s appeal in an effort to potentially reverse his 2020 conviction for sex offences. More than 100 women, have publicly accused Weinstein of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment that allegedly occurred over a period of decades.
The story of his survivors coming forward and his spectacular fall caused by #MeToo in 2017, even served as the inspiration for the big-budget movie “She Said,” which was released in theatres last year.
Weinstein has steadfastly defended his innocence and denied all allegations of rape and assault, and his legal team has frequently claimed that their client has been wrongfully portrayed as the face of the #MeToo movement.
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