Harvey Weinstein Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Rape and Sexual Assault Convictions

Update 3/11/20: Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in New York State prison for felony sex crimes on Wednesday, the New York Times reports. The sentencing marks a milestone in the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault, which gained traction in October 2017 after the New York Times and the New Yorker published allegations of sex crimes against Weinstein.

In February, Weinstein was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual acts and third-degree rape for forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant, Miriam Haley, in 2006 and raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. He was found not guilty of predatory sexual assault, a charge that could have carried a life sentence.

Judge James Burke issued the sentence on Wednesday after hearing from Weinstein's victims.

Per USA Today, Haley said of Weinstein, "He violated my trust, my body and my basic right to reject his sexual advances. When he attacked me that evening, it scarred me emotionally and physically. It diminished my confidence and faith in people, and my confidence and faith in myself. I'm relieved he will now know he's not above the law."

Mann said, "My rape was preventable. This was a known offender whose previous crimes were covered up in a paper trail. I am forced to carry that experience until I die. It is a recurring nightmare that I feel is just as real as when it happened."

Weinstein's attorneys had argued in court that a lengthy sentence would be "a death penalty" and had asked for a five-year sentence. Following the sentencing, Weinstein's attorney Donna Rotunno briefly spoke to the media and called the decision "obscene."

"There are murderers who will get out of prison sooner than Harvey Weinstein," Rotunno said, adding "I think the judge caved, just as I believe the jury caved." Rotunno also confirmed that Weinstein's team will file for an appeal.

Previously 2/24/20: Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of criminal sexual acts in the first degree and rape in the third degree, USA Today reports. Weinstein's New York County trial covered five criminal counts, including two of predatory sexual assault. The jury found him not guilty of predatory sexual assault, a charge that could have resulted in a life sentence. The jurors took five days of deliberation before reaching their verdict on Monday morning.

The first-degree sexual assault charge was based upon the allegation of Miriam Haley (formerly Haleyi), who testified that she'd been sexually assaulted by Weinstein inside his SoHo apartment in 2006. The third-degree rape charge was based upon the allegation of former actress Jessica Mann, who testified that she'd been raped by Weinstein in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013. Weinstein also stood accused of first-degree rape in relation to Mann's testimony.

According to the Associated Press, Weinstein's conviction could result in a maximum of 29 years at sentencing, and a minimum of four years. He was ordered to go to jail by presiding Justice James Burke immediately following the jury's decision.

District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said of the decision, "This is the new landscape for survivors of sexual assault in America, I believe, and it is a new day. It is a new day because Harvey Weinstein has finally been held accountable for crimes he committed. Weinstein is a vicious, serial sexual predator who used his power to threaten, rape, assault and trick, humiliate and silence his victims."

Weinstein's lawyer Donna Rotunno said after the hearing, "Obviously, this is a bittersweet day. We are disappointed. We knew we came in and we were down 35-0 on the day that we started this trial. The jurors came in knowing everything they could know about this case. We couldn't find a juror who had never heard of Harvey Weinstein."

During Weinstein's trial, The Sopranos star Annabella Sciorra also testified that she was raped by Weinstein in her own apartment in New York in the early '90s. Although the statute of limitations prevented prosecutors from bringing charges on her case, her testimony was considered by the jury to determine whether Weinstein was guilty of predatory sexual assault, which can carry a life sentence. Jurors acquitted Weinstein of that crime on Monday.

Additional Molineux witnesses -- those whose allegations fell outside of the statute of limitations but whose testimony was offered to strengthen that case -- included Dawn Dunning, who said Weinstein sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 2004; Tarale Wulff, who accused Weinstein of sexual assault in his apartment in 2005; and Lauren Young, who testified that Weinstein sexually assaulted her in 2013.

In a statement posted to its website, Tina Tchen, president and CEO of Time's Up said of the verdict, "This trial -- and the jury's decision today -- marks a new era of justice, not just for the Silence Breakers, who spoke out at great personal risk, but for all survivors of harassment, abuse, and assault at work. We owe a debt of gratitude to Mimi Haleyi, Jessica Mann, Annabella Sciorra, Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff, Lauren Young, and all the Silence Breakers for their bravery and resolve as they faced this man in court. We continue to believe them -- all of them -- and continue to be in solidarity with them."

Time's Up was founded in the midst of the #MeToo movement, which resulted in part from dozens of women speaking out against Weinstein.

Weinstein's sentencing is scheduled for March 11, and he still faces four charges in Los Angeles County. According to Deadline, Weinstein is already moving forward on an appeal of his conviction in New York.