Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein whined concerning the 16-year jail sentence he acquired in the present day and made an outrageous declare that the actress he was convicted of raping solely accused him as a ‘cash seize.’
The as soon as highly effective media mogul, 70, was discovered responsible of rape and two different counts of sexual assault at a trial in Los Angeles in December after beforehand being sentenced in 2020 for intercourse crimes in New York Metropolis.
‘It’s unbelievable to be convicted for against the law I wasn’t even current for. I’m harmless. I by no means raped or assaulted anybody,’ Weinstein mentioned in a brand new assertion following the decision.
Weinstein, who continued to take care of his innocence, added that the actress ‘perjured herself at the least thrice after which sued for cash, when she mentioned on the stand that she would “by no means.'” ‘I used to be by no means together with her. Her complete declare factor was a setup for a cash seize,’ he added.
Weinstein was already serving a 23-year sentence for separate rape and sexual assault convictions in New York when he was discovered responsible of rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by international object of an unnamed Russian-born Italian mannequin.
His newest sentence – which is able to solely start when he completes his New York sentence – got here after a rape at the Mr C Beverly Hills Resort in February 2013.
Harvey Weinstein, pictured right here in October, was sentenced to 16 years in jail on Thursday
Because the decide revealed his destiny on Thursday, Weinstein – who’s now virtually sure to die behind bars – moaned: ‘I keep that I am harmless.
‘I by no means raped or sexually assaulted Jane Doe 1. I by no means knew this lady, and the very fact is she does not know me.’
‘Please do not sentence me to life in jail,’ he begged Decide Lisa B Lench, to no avail. ‘I do not deserve it. There are such a lot of issues incorrect with this case.’
He’ll now serve the 16 years along with the 21 years left in his New York sentence. That might imply that Weinstein could be extradited to California to serve his 16 years behind bars within the state on the age of 91 – if he is nonetheless alive at that age.
Ought to Weinstein make it to the tip of his California sentence, he’d be launched aged 107.
However he nonetheless claims he’s harmless, and his legal professionals tried to argue in court docket on Thursday that Weinstein was the sufferer of an unfair trial.
And his spokesman says the sentence is ‘merciless’ given Weinstein’s age and failing well being situations, vowing that his conviction will probably be overturned.
Weinstein attacked the lady on the Mr C Resort in Beverley Hills, pictured, in 2013
In an announcement to DailyMail.com, Weinstein’s spokesman Juda Engelmayer mentioned the sentence is ‘merciless’ given ‘his age, his well being and the situations of his conviction in Los Angeles when the only cost was from an individual who lied, with the decide and prosecutor nicely conscious of it and allowing it, about crucial components of her personal declare.’
‘It’s not justice, however a pile on for a person many individuals simply determined must be solid off and discarded no matter information. It will likely be appealed,’ Engelmayer vowed.
‘The decide, identical to the trial decide in his New York trial who was not reappointed to the bench, will finally be known as out for bias and injustice.
‘There are lots of on the market who will have fun this motion,’ Engelmayer famous, ‘however it’s a unhappy day for justice and equity, and I hope nobody who’s happy with that is ever caught on the incorrect aspect of cancel tradition whereas hopelessly and voicelessly proclaiming innocence.’
The jury in his Los Angeles trial had been unable to succeed in a choice on three different counts, together with these aired by the spouse of California Governor Gavin Newsom, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who alleged Weinstein raped her in 2005.
It additionally failed to succeed in a verdict on allegations involving mannequin Lauren Younger, known as Jane Doe 2 throughout proceedings — forcing jurists to declare a mistrial on these counts.
And the disgraced mogul — whose crimes spawned progress of the #MeToo motion in 2017 — was acquitted of a sexual battery allegation made by one other lady, an unnamed therapeutic massage therapist who handled Weinstein at LA’s Montage lodge in 2010, often known as Jane Doe 3.
In whole, the case contained 5 sexual assault prices introduced by the 4 girls for incidents that transpired in LA county between 2004 and 2013, together with two counts of forcible rape — one involving Siebel Newsom, and one other involving the unnamed Russian mannequin, who mentioned Weinstein appeared uninvited at her lodge room door throughout a Los Angeles movie competition in 2013.
Weinstein had pleaded not responsible to all the costs, which might have seen his present sentence enhance by as a lot as 65 years
Jurors remained deadlocked over sexual battery allegations leveled by the therapeutic massage therapist, who broke down in court docket earlier this month as she recalled how Weinstein groped her and masturbated in entrance of her in a toilet after certainly one of their appointments in 2010
Shouting by way of tears at instances throughout her impassioned testimony, the 48-year-old spouse of California’s extra outstanding politician testified that Weinstein raped her when she was 31 and attempting to construct a profession as an actor and producer. Jurors voted 8-4 in her favor however couldn’t attain a verdict
Jurors additionally remained deadlocked with regard to rape and sexual assault prices leveled by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, spouse of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who claims Weinstein sexually assaulted her throughout a 2005 assembly – telling her ‘loosen up, that is going to make you’re feeling higher’
Over the course of the trial, the accusers shared their tales.
A lady solely referred to in court docket as Jane Doe 1, an unidentified Russian, Italy-based mannequin, mentioned she was sexually assaulted by Weinstein in 2013 and was pressured to carry out oral intercourse when he had problem sustaining an erection,
She confronted a heated line of questioning from Weinstein’s authorized crew in October, with the protection accusing her of mendacity — arguing that on the time of the incident, Weinstein’s testicles had been surgically relocated to his interior thighs.
Jane Doe 1 mentioned the assault happened in Los Angeles at an Italian movie competition, throughout which Weinstein arrived uninvited at her lodge room in February 2013 and raped her. The assault, throughout which Weinstein additionally penetrated her with a international object, led to psychological anguish and abuse of alcohol, she mentioned.
‘I used to be destroying myself,’ she testified early on throughout proceedings, whereas combating again tears. ‘I used to be feeling very responsible. Most of all as a result of I opened that door.’
She added that she has been the sufferer of rape prior to now and feared being crushed if she did not observe Weinstein’s calls for for intercourse.
Lauren Younger, 29, additionally claimed that in a 2013 assembly with the mogul a couple of script, Weinstein trapped her within the rest room of his Beverly Hills lodge, groped her, and masturbated in entrance of her.
The alleged incident transpired shortly after the alleged 2013 rape of Jane Doe 1, in accordance with the mannequin, who turned acquainted with Weinstein whereas pursuing a profession in appearing and screenwriting.
She was the one one of many 4 accusers to inform her story at each trials, in Los Angeles and New York.
‘I used to be terrified of Harvey Weinstein — that he would damage me, or ship somebody to harm me, or break my profession, or make my life hell,’ Younger mentioned throughout an emotional testimony.
Weinstein’s attorneys denied the encounter ever occurred, and mentioned there was no proof she was pressured to stay within the room.
A 3rd accuser, a therapeutic massage therapist often known as Jane Doe 3, was employed by Weinstein in Could of 2010 for a therapeutic massage, throughout which she mentioned he trapped her in a lodge rest room, groped her, and masturbated in entrance of her, in an incident eerily much like the one recounted by Younger.
Tearing up on the stand, the masseuse mentioned she was ‘younger and naïve’ when Weinstein allegedly abused her, and felt like she could not confide the ordeal to the authorities or her fiancé — however finally advised one other of her A-Listing shoppers, Mel Gibson, after he indicated he’d be working with Weinstein.
She expressed disgrace and disgust that she agreed to see and work with Weinstein once more afterward, one thing the protection tried to hone in on throughout cross-examinations.
‘That is one of many explanation why I did not need to come ahead, as a result of that is embarrassing,’ she advised the court docket in defiance of the protection’s claims regarding supposed inconsistencies.
‘He went towards me in a really aggressive method. He pushed me towards the wall. That’s when he began to place his hand underneath my bra and really feel my chest.’
She added: ‘I used to be terrified, I believed I used to be about to get raped.’
Maybe essentially the most outstanding of the 4 accusers, nevertheless, was Siebel Newsom, often known as Jane Doe 4 in court docket, who gave an intensely harrowing account of what she described as a rape by Weinstein at a Beverly Hills lodge in September 2005, the place she had been supposed meet with the producer about her aspiring appearing profession.
Shouting by way of tears at instances throughout her impassioned testimony, the 48-year-old left onlookers shocked upon airing her accusations in court docket for the primary time, throughout which she was accused of mendacity by Weinstein’s protection.
Jurors have been additionally unable to succeed in a verdict involving mannequin Lauren Younger, known as Jane Doe 2 in continuing, who alleged that in a 2013 assembly with Weinstein a couple of script, he trapped her within the rest room of his Beverly Hills lodge, groped her, and masturbated in entrance of her
‘I used to be terrified of Harvey Weinstein – that he would damage me, or ship somebody to harm me, or break my profession, or make my life hell,’ Lauren Younger mentioned throughout an emotional testimony
In court docket on Thursday, the victims as soon as once more bought the possibility to inform their tales as Lench thought-about how lengthy Weinstein would serve in jail for his actions.
‘Ten years later, the results of this rape are nonetheless uncooked and troublesome to debate,’ Jane Doe 1, the Italian mannequin, mentioned. ‘I’ve been carrying his weight this trauma, this irrational perception that it was my fault.
‘His egocentric, disgusting actions have vastly impacted my life,’ she continued, explaining that ‘earlier than that evening I used to be a really completely happy and assured girls. I valued myself and the connection I had with God.
‘I used to be enthusiastic about my future,’ Jane Doe 1 mentioned. ‘All the pieces modified after the defendant brutally assaulted me.
‘I quickly turned invisible to myself and to the world/ I misplaced my identification. I used to be heartbroken, empty and alone. My rapist did that to me.’
She concluded: ‘Your Honor, I hope you’ll be able to perceive my struggling. There isn’t a jail sentence lengthy sufficient to undo the injury.
‘I hope you give him the utmost sentence allowable.’
The case has seen 5 new sexual assault prices and two of rape leveled towards the now wheelchair-bound convict for alleged incidents that transpired in LA between 2004 and 2013. The allegations have been introduced by 4 girls all known as Jane Doe in court docket paperwork
However Weinstein’s protection legal professional, Alan Jackson, alleged that the sexual assault trial was performed unfairly saying that ‘by permitting perjury on the stand to go unchecked and unchallenged, the court docket allowed what can solely be described as a cascade of errors.’
He argued that the district legal professional launched ‘false testimony,’ and the protection attorneys weren’t allowed to cross-examine one of many victims who took the stand as Jane Doe.’
What she mentioned in the course of the trial, Jackson claimed, was not related to the costs towards Weinstein.
And, he mentioned, the truth that she sued Weinstein after the testimony proves she had a monetary motivation to testify towards the producer.
‘She actually camouflaged her true intentions, her true motive.’
‘The jury bought sucked into the lies advised by Jane Doe 1, as a result of they did not get the entire story,’ he claimed. ‘The reality was actually hidden from them.
‘There isn’t a query Mr. Weinstein suffered an unlimited prejudice in regard to those errors.’
‘When all of the noise and the smoke and all of the distraction is cleared away, the conviction comes right down to the phrase of a single witness: Jane Doe 1. And that is it,’ he defined.
Jackson then painted Weinstein as ‘simply an accused particular person, nothing extra, nothing much less.
‘Like anybody lese he’s entitled to the best possible this justice system has to supply.’ Jackson concluded as he argued for a lenient sentence. ‘He didn’t get a good trial. He’s entitled to a brand new one.’
However prosecutor Paul Thompson argued that the court docket acted correctly in conducting the trial, noting that Jane Doe 1 was on the stand for 2 days and the decide by no means precluded protection attorneys from asking her about her ulterior motives.
‘Now they need a brand new trial to allow them to [go] again and ask,’ he claimed. ‘After two days.’
And Decide Lisa B. Lench appeared to agree, dismissing a movement for a brand new trial.
Weinstein was as soon as a strong media mogul earlier than scores of girls got here ahead to accuse him of rape and sexual assault in 2017
The case has seen 5 new sexual assault prices and two of rape leveled towards the now wheelchair-bound convict for alleged incidents that transpired in LA between 2004 and 2013. The allegations have been introduced by 4 girls all known as Jane Doe in court docket paperwork
Protection attorneys then requested the decide to condemn Weinstein concurrently to his New York sentence, noting that ‘all three counts occurred in a single sexual assault.’
Mark Werksman additionally says Weinstein is a ’70-year-old man in dangerous well being,’ who has already misplaced 4 enamel whereas in Los Angeles County jail.
And, he argued that Weinstein ‘did plenty of good for lots of people in a 50 yr profession. He produced tons of of movies that have been a pleasure to tens of millions of individuals. He was a person that many well-known film stars would thank of their Oscar speeches.
‘He lived a full, wealthy and productive life that included being a father to 5 youngsters,’ Werksman continued. ‘He has develop into to his youngsters the disembodied voice on the phone.
‘I ask Your Honor to condemn that man, that compassionate and profitable man, please don’t sentence the person who has develop into a caricature due to the #MeToo motion.’
At that time, Weinstein himself spoke earlier than the court docket saying that Jane Doe 1 is an actress who ‘can flip the tears on.
‘It is a setup,’ he claims. ‘This isn’t the way in which to behave on this state of affairs.
‘I encourage your mercy,’ he advised Lench.
However Lench then moved ahead with the 16 yr sentence.