Harvey Weinstein, the 70-year-old movie tycoon, was sentenced to an additional 16 years in prison in his Los Angeles criminal trial Thursday. Currently, he is serving his previous sentence of 23 years as he continues to face consequences for the sexual assault charges that throttled the #MeToo movement.
Harvey directly appealed to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench, saying: “I maintain that I’m innocent. I never raped or sexually assaulted Jane Doe 1.” The woman whom Weinstein was convicted of raping wept in the courtroom as he spoke.
Attacked By Weinstein
Moments earlier she told the judge about the pain she felt after being attacked by Harvey. “Before that night I was a very happy and confident woman. I valued myself and the relationship I had with God,” said the woman, who was identified in court only as Jane Doe 1. “I was excited about my future. Everything changed after the defendant brutally assaulted me. There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage.”
Lench handed down the sentence Thursday after rejecting a motion by Weinstein’s lawyers for a new trial. Lench sentenced Harvey to eight years for a forcible rape count, six years for forcible oral copulation, and two years for forcible penetration with a foreign object, for a combined 16 years.
Thanked during Oscar awards speeches
Weinstein’s attorneys requested that Judge Lench sentence him to three years for each count and have the sentences run simultaneously.
“Mr. Weinstein did a lot of good for a lot of people in a 50-year career, “Weinstein’s lawyer Mark Werksman told the judge. ”He was a man that many famous movie stars would thank in their Oscar speeches.”
Werksman cited Weinstein’s age and very poor health, suggesting a long sentence would make it unlikely he would ever see his five children outside of prison.
Jane Doe 1 could be heard crying in court throughout Werksman and Weinstein’s remarks to the judge.
“This is a made-up story. Jane Doe 1 is an actress. She can turn the tears on,” said Weinstein, who insisted he had never met the woman. “Please don’t sentence me to life in prison. I don’t deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case.”