Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault in the culmination of a case that ignited the #MeToo movement and saw countless women speak out against sexual misconduct at the hands of powerful men.
The landmark sentence comes after the 67-year old was found guilty by a jury on the grounds of third-degree rape and first-degree sexual acts in New York City last month.
He was acquitted on the most serious charges of predatory sexual assault that carried a possible life sentence.
Judge James Burke sentenced him to 20 years in prison for criminal sexual acts and three years in prison for rape. The sentences will run consecutively, both come with five years of after-release supervision and Weinstein is required to register as a sex offender.
The 67-year-old appeared in court on Wednesday in a wheelchair, addressing his accusers for the first time by saying he “felt remorse for the situation” but was “totally confused” about the allegations against him.
He added that he had fond memories of his accusers and the men facing allegations as a result of the #MeToo movement are being accused of “things that none of us understand.”
His lawyers appealed for leniency, claiming that a prison bid longer than the minimum five years would essentially be “a de facto life sentence” for a man that had “lost everything.”
However, prosecutors argued Weinstein should be given the maximum sentence possible due to his “lifetime of abuse” towards women and “lack of remorse” shown for his actions.
Weinstein has consistently denied any wrongdoing and his lawyers vow to appeal against his conviction.
Reactions to the news on social media have been mixed, with some feeling Weinstein received a fair life sentence and others arguing that the sentence was too lenient and setting an unfair precedent for future cases:
Weinstein still faces further criminal charges for rape and sexual assault charges in Los Angeles, where officials have begun the extradition process.
Dozens of women have come out with allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein since October 2017.
Featured image and gallery: Sub Khan It’s no surprise that Rainbow Kitten Surprise have made a name for themselves in recent years, their genre-merging approach and deeply introspective lyrics piquing the curiosity of thousands. Formed in 2013, the band have long surpassed their humble roots of playing their dorm rooms in North Carolina. From establishing…
Featured image: Ella Venn and Nicola Cutts Manchester’s Open Fly talk new music, performance mishaps and men. Bassist Lily Rose believes that women have better things to say than men when it comes to song lyrics, especially in the world of indie bands. She says this with a sheepish smile as her bandmate and frontwoman…
Featured image: Nicola Cutts & Olivia Taberner Watching a movie, scrolling through social media and playing video games can be fun, but sometimes, you just want to slow down and disconnect from a screen. Where better to begin than with a magazine that you’re holding? Here are five analogue hobbies that will kick off a…
Featured image: Aura Album artwork Kyle Alessandro’s journey these last few years has been nothing short of impressive. Previous album, Evig & Alltid, recorded in Norwegian and released in 2023, had a more conventional pop sound but latest record Aura swerves this and sees Alessandro go searching for a different sound altogether. With Aura, there is…
Leave a reply