Once a Hollywood mogul and now a disgraced producer, Harvey Weinstein, gained infamy in 2017 when The New York Times published a report that detailed multiple allegations of sexual harassment over a period spanning over three decades. Soon, more and more alleged victims, including names like Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, came forward and spoke against the once-powerful producer. As time passed, more than 100 women claimed that they were sexually harassed or assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. These allegations resulted in multiple criminal investigations, charges, and court cases against Weinstein.
Harvey Weinstein’s first conviction came in February 2020 when he was found guilty of a criminal sexual act in the first-degree and third-degree rape. He was convicted of sexually assaulting a former production assistant and raping a former actress. He received 23 years in prison. In February 2023, a second conviction for the rape of an Italian actor and model followed in Los Angeles. And, he received another 16 years in prison for the LA conviction.
According to USA Today, Weinstein returned to New York earlier this year in April. The New York Department of Corrections reports that he is now serving his prison term at the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome.
Harvey Weinstein’s case, convictions, and jail sentence, explained
Harvey Weinstein returned to New York after spending nearly two years in Los Angeles, California, for the rape trial of an Italian model and actor that resulted in his second conviction. BBC reported that the charges stemmed from a February 2013 incident, when he attacked an actress in a hotel room during a film festival in the city.
The outlet reported that on December 19, 2022, a Los Angeles jury convicted the accused of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault. The victim, known as Jane Doe 1 said, “Everything changed after the defendant brutally assaulted me.” In LA, the jury found Weinstein guilty of three out of seven counts, per USA Today. These included rape, forced oral copulation, and another sexual misconduct count involving Jane Doe 1.
However, the same jury hung on multiple other counts. Some of these charges involved California Governor Gavin Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The jury members failed to reach verdicts on her allegations as well as on those of another woman. They declared a mistrial on those counts and also acquitted him of one count of sexual battery from a separate accusation.
The report claimed that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench sentenced the Oscar-winning movie producer to 16 years in prison. This sentence comes in addition to the one he received following his February 2020 conviction in New York. These charges stemmed from the crimes he committed against a production assistant in 2006 and an aspiring actress in 2013, per BBC.
Weinstein’s first criminal trial resulted in his conviction for the sexual assault and rape of two women. The 71-year-old is already nearly three years into his 23-year prison term in New York. BBC‘s report further delved into the details of the case and stated that over 80 people have made rape and misconduct claims against Weinstein. Some of these accusations even date back to the late 1970s.
Reportedly, multiple victims testified at his high-profile trials. One such woman was Lauren Young, who testified at both trials. Young claimed that Weinstein sexually assaulted her in a Beverly Hills hotel bathroom in 2013 despite her repeatedly saying “no.” She went by Jane Doe in court.
Another woman named Kelly Sipherd testified that Weinstein sexually assaulted her in a hotel room in 1991. She was 24 years old and an aspiring actor at the time. The incident occurred at the Toronto International Film Festival.
PBS FRONTLINE’s documentary, Weinstein, chronicles the high-profile case in detail. Hulu also dropped a documentary titled, Untouchable: The Fall of Harvey Weinstein, on the Hollywood mogul’s downfall.
