Harvey Weinstein sentenced to further 16 years in LA rape case | World News

Attending courtroom in a wheelchair, the 70-year-old Oscar-winning "Shakespeare in Love" producer begged the choose for "mercy."

"Please do not sentence me to life in jail. I do not deserve it. There are such a lot of issues flawed with this case," he mentioned.

However Choose Lisa Lench handed him three consecutive sentences totalling 16 years for forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by a international object, and forcible rape.

The actress, whose id was not revealed, had tearfully known as on the choose to offer Weinstein "the utmost sentence allowable," which might have been 18 years.

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"His egocentric, disgusting actions have vastly impacted my life," she mentioned.

"There isn't any jail sentence lengthy sufficient to undo the injury."

Weinstein's legal professionals have mentioned they'll attraction the Los Angeles verdict, which got here along with his conviction by a jury in December.

The trial had heard express accounts of conferences between the beforehand influential film producer and several other younger ladies who had been searching for a foothold in Hollywood.

Prosecutors mentioned Weinstein exploited and abused ladies for years, and lengthy loved impunity due to his then-powerful place within the business.

The ladies would have risked dropping their future Hollywood job prospects if they'd publicly accused Weinstein on the time, prosecutors mentioned.

Weinstein was finally convicted within the Los Angeles case of assaulting one lady, however acquitted of sexual battery involving a second.

The jury didn't attain a verdict on expenses referring to the alleged assaults of two different ladies, one among whom was recognized by her legal professionals as Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the now-wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

A protection movement requesting a brand new trial or a decreased verdict was denied on Thursday instantly earlier than the sentencing went forward.

Weinstein's legal professionals claimed they had been precluded from admitting vital proof in regards to the rape sufferer -- together with Fb messages with an alleged lover which the choose deemed irrelevant -- and that their cross-examination was restricted.

However Lench mentioned the proof had been "correctly excluded."

- #MeToo -

Weinstein's conduct had been the subject of rumors in leisure circles for years, however his energy participant standing in Hollywood ensured few had been prepared to publicly name him out.

Bombshell allegations broke towards him in 2017, launching the #MeToo motion and paving the best way for lots of of girls to combat again towards sexual violence within the office.

Dozens of girls have now accused Weinstein of predatory conduct.

In New York final June, Weinstein misplaced his first attraction towards his legal verdict and sentence within the state's intermediate appellate courtroom.

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However he has additionally additional appealed that case to the upper New York Court docket of Appeals.

After his conviction in New York, a civil trial awarded $17 million to dozens of different ladies who had accused the previous film magnate of abuse.

Earlier this month, the European actress who Weinstein was convicted of raping in Los Angeles additionally sued him for damages.

The civil case alleges sexual battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional misery and negligence.

"The conduct of Defendant Weinstein was despicable, and achieved with malice, oppression and fraud, thus justifying an award of punitive damages towards him," her lawsuit says.