The trial of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has come to an end, and he has now been sentenced to 23 years in prison.
The sentencing comes after the 67-year-old was convicted on charges of first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree assault back in February.
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According to reports, Weinstein faced a maximum sentence of 29 years in prison and while prosecutors were asking for the maximum, Weinstein’s defence attorneys argued for his minimum sentence of only five years citing his advanced age, medical problems, lack of criminal history and charitable contributions.
“His wife divorced him, he was fired from The Weinstein Company, and in short, he lost everything,” the attorneys wrote,
Despite his charges, he was acquitted of three other charges including the most severe which was predatory sexual assault and what would have carried a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
While more than 80 women have come forward with claims that they were assaulted by Weinstein, the charges in this trial only focused on former production assistant Miriam “Mimi” Haleyi and actress Jessica Mann.
Haleyi testified at the trial after being abused by Weinstein in 2006 and stated at the trial, “I believe that if Harvey Weinstein was not convicted by this jury, it would happen again and again and again,” according to the Associated Press.
In a statement after the verdict, Weinstein’s lawyers, Donna Rotunno and Damon Cheronis, said, “While he was not convicted on the most serious charges, we are disappointed in the verdict and will be filing an appeal. There are issues in this trial that were extremely troubling, and they prejudiced Mr. Weinstein’s ability to have his case fairly judged.”
In addition, Weinstein is facing several other charges in Califronia and has yet to enter a plea to those allegations which carry a separate penalty of up to 28 years in state prison if he is convicted.
Telisa Carter
Telisa enjoys learning and writing about all things entertainment in the world of Hollywood. When she isn't catching up on her favorite TV shows, she likes to read, and obsess over all things football.