Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood mogul, once considered one of the most “powerful men” in the film industry, is going to spend the next two decades in prison. He was just sentenced to 23 years.
According to multiple media sources, the 67-year-old Weinstein was facing a maximum prison sentence of 29 years after being convicted of a Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree and Rape in the Third Degree.
Weinstein’s legal team begged the court for mercy, asking the judge to sentence him to 5 years instead, while prosecutors lobbied for the harshest sentence claiming Weinstein showed a complete lack of remorse.
Before the sentence was passed down, the disgraced mogul told the court he was confused by the case.
“Thousands of men are losing due process. I’m worried about this country,” he said. Weinstein did address the victims as well, saying, “I have great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all women.”
Weinstein’s trial will now forever be considered a landmark case for the #Metoo movement.
More than 80 women have accused the now-disgraced Oscar-winning producer of sexual assault and harassment going back decades, though the charges in this case, however, were based primarily on allegations from two women, Mimi Haley and Jessica Mann, who each testified during the trial.
Joan Illuzzi-Orbon, the lead prosecutor in the case, asked for a maximum or near-maximum sentence on Wednesday, saying Weinstein “would never have been stopped from hurting more lives.”
“He has been using and abusing people his whole life,” she said.
Weinstein and his legal team have always denied all allegations of any sexual activity that was nonconsensual. His lawyers have already vowed to appeal the conviction.
Weinstein still faces sex crime charges in Los Angeles and has yet to enter a plea in that case.
