Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison on Wednesday, March 11, after being found guilty of rape earlier this year.
The disgraced movie mogul, 67, received his sentence in front of several of the women who had accused him of gross sexual assault more than two years ago in allegations that sparked the global #MeToo movement. According to Deadline, Annabella Sciorra, Jessica Mann, Miriam “Mimi” Haley, Tarale Wulff, Lauren Young and Dawn Dunning sat in the first two rows of the courtroom after testifying against Weinstein in his trial.
Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr. said in a statement after the sentencing, “We thank the court for imposing a sentence that puts sexual predators and abusive partners in all segments of society on notice. We thank the survivors for their remarkable statements today and indescribable courage over the last two years … Their words took down a predator and put him behind bars, and gave hope to survivors of sexual violence all across the world.”
Weinstein, meanwhile, admitted he felt “remorse in this situation” and alleged that “men are confused about this issue,” according to Deadline.
On February 24, a jury of seven men and five women convicted Weinstein on two of five counts that were held against him: criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree. At the time, he was acquitted on the most serious count of predatory sexual assault, which would have resulted in a life sentence.
Shortly after his trial ended, the Miramax founder was hospitalized for a heart procedure at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City. On March 5, he was transferred to the jail on Rikers Island after it was confirmed that he was in stable condition.
Weinstein’s sentencing comes more than two years after the New York Times first exposed the producer’s long history of inappropriate behavior toward women, including Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd, leading him to take a leave of absence from his role as an executive at the Weinstein Company.
“I came of age in the 60’s and 70’s, when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different. That was the culture then,” the Oscar winner wrote in a lengthy statement at the time. “I have since learned it’s not an excuse, in the office — or out of it. To anyone.”
Journalist Ronan Farrow and The New Yorker later published a detailed account of nearly 30 years of misconduct allegations against Weinstein. After a 10-month investigation, actresses including Asia Argento, Mira Sorvino and Rosanna Arquette shared their stories with the publication.As the #MeToo movement continued to grow, Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow also came forward with more accusations. In total, nearly 100 women have made claims against Weinstein.
In the wake of the highly publicized scandal, Weinstein’s wife of nearly 10 years, Georgina Chapman, left him. The pair share daughter India, 9, and son Dashiell, 6. He also shares daughters Lily, 24, Emma, 22, and Ruth, 17, with his first wife, Eve Chilton.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
