Harvey Weinstein Gets More Jail Time, Calls Allegations a 'Setup'

Harvey Weinstein, a former head of Hollywood already serving a 23-year prison term in New York, was given an additional 16 years in prison for rape and sexual assault on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Before the verdict, Weinstein spoke in court and maintained his innocence, calling the prosecution's case a "setup."

Harvey Weinstein Prison Sentence

As a 70-year-old man in poor health, his attorneys requested the judge a sentence that would run concurrently with his present 23-year sentence. The model and actress Jane Doe 1, whose evidence was crucial to the convictions, also described to the judge how the assault had altered her.

Jane Doe 1 testified that Weinstein, 70, abused her in a Beverly Hills hotel room in February 2013 and was charged with rape, sexual penetration by a foreign object, and forcible oral copulation. Weinstein was found guilty of these crimes in December.

A jury could not agree on three other counts against Weinstein, including one involving Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a filmmaker and the wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Weinstein was also acquitted on one charge. During the trial, CNN reported that four counts related to an anonymous woman who did not testify were also dismissed.

The New York Times and The New Yorker's reporting in 2017 alleged Weinstein's history of sexual abuse, harassment, and secret settlements as he exploited his influence as a Hollywood power broker to use young women culminated in the second sentencing for Weinstein on sexual assault charges.

Weinstein was one of the most influential figures in Hollywood at the time and worked on the creation of "Pulp Fiction," "Clerks," and "Shakespeare in Love," among other films. In what became known as the #MeToo movement, the revelations sparked a wave of women speaking out publicly about the prevalence of sexual abuse and harassment.

The disgraced movie mogul is halfway through a 23-year jail term handed down in New York in 2020 after he was found guilty of third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act. He appealed the conviction.

Weinstein might have received an additional 18 years in prison following his trial in Los Angeles. Judge Lisa B. Lench of the Los Angeles Superior Court received a direct appeal from Weinstein, who stated: "I steadfastly maintain my innocence. I never sexually assaulted or raped Jane Doe 1."

As Weinstein spoke, the victim of the rape for which he was found guilty sobbed in the courtroom. As per USA Today, Lench delivered the verdict on Thursday after denying Weinstein's legal team's request for a fresh trial.

Online Users React to Harvey Weinstein Trial's Result

Weinstein appeared to bury his face in his hands while the first guilty counts were being read. As the remainder of the verdict was being read, he anticipated it. There were no quick comments from prosecutors or defense lawyers regarding the ruling.

Harvey Weinstein is seen in this courtroom file photo from the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles on October 4, 2022. Due to the jury's inability to agree on whether Weinstein had intended to attack a model actor in 2013, he might have received up to 18 years in jail.

The panel concluded that it could not reach a consensus about specific claims that Weinstein planned his attack on the lady and whether or not she was "especially vulnerable," therefore Lench declared a mistrial on the case the following day. If the jury had determined that either situation applied, Weinstein would have been sentenced to an enhanced maximum term of 24 years.

Several online users supported Weinstein's 16-year prison term when he was found guilty of the Los Angeles rape, while others wished for a longer prison time for him. Per Meaww, one person said, "So grateful for the victims that spoke out against this monster. Good to have some Justice," and another commented, "Still not enough time! Give him more."