Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, already serving a 23-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault, was sentenced Thursday in Los Angeles to 16 years in prison for similar crimes. The Hollywood star's downfall in 2017 liberated the voices of many women and led to the #MeToo movement.
The former Hollywood producer, now 70, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for raping and sexually assaulting a European model at a Beverly Hills hotel in 2013. He faced up to 18 years in prison for those crimes.
Weinstein could spend the rest of his life in prison, as he is already serving a 23-year sentence after being convicted of similar crimes in New York.
During this second trial for Weinstein, four women testified anonymously against him. They accused the former Hollywood titan of forcing them into sexual relationships at hotels in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles between 2004 and 2013. The trial was an intense and grueling ordeal, punctuated by the sobs of the plaintiffs.
The prosecution portrayed Harvey Weinstein as an all-powerful ogre, a "predator" whose grip on Hollywood had long prevented his victims from speaking out for fear of career repercussions. The films he produced received more than 330 nominations and 81 awards.
Weinstein's lawyers cast doubt on the testimony of the four plaintiffs, pointing to the lack of medical evidence to support their stories.
The trial ended in a mixed verdict. The jury acquitted Harvey Weinstein of all charges brought by the European model. However, they found him not guilty of the charges brought by the second woman and did not reach a verdict on the charges brought by the other two women.
Following Weinstein's criminal conviction, the model, who was recognized as a victim at the end of the trial, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles in early February seeking civil damages.
The lawsuit does not specify the amount sought, but emphasizes the "physical and emotional suffering" caused by the rape and sexual assault.
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In 2021, a civil settlement awarded $17 million to several dozen women, but she was not among them.
Rumors about Harvey Weinstein's behavior had been circulating in Hollywood for several years. The scandal finally broke in 2017, thanks to press investigations that compiled multiple accusations and led to the #MeToo movement.
Since then, nearly 90 women, including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Rosanna Arquette, have accused Harvey Weinstein of harassment, sexual assault, or rape.
But the statute of limitations has expired in many of the cases, some of which date back to 1977.
The former producer is also facing charges in the United Kingdom for sexual assaults dating back to 1966.
Post also available in french/ post aussi disponible en français : Harvey Weinstein condamné à 16 ans de prison pour viol : la suite de la chute d'une star d'Hollywood- Askip (askiplesite.wixsite.com)