Harvey Weinstein jailed for 23 years for sexual assault and rape in landmark #MeToo case
- Disgraced Hollywood mogul delivers rambling statement to court expressing sympathy for accused men and saying he is trying to be ‘a better person’
- More than 100 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct stretching back decades, fuelling #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment
The sentence was handed down in Manhattan criminal court by Justice James Burke. A jury on February 24 found Weinstein – once one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures – guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann.
“I feel remorse for all of the men who are going through this fight,” Weinstein, 67, told the court before he was sentenced, sounding unrepentant over the crimes for which he was convicted.
More than 100 women, including famous actresses, have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct stretching back decades, fuelling the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse and harassment.
Weinstein, who addressed the court while sitting in a wheelchair, said he was worried about “thousands of men” being denied due process in the #MeToo era. In a rambling statement, he said he was “confused” and that he believed he had great times with “these people”, referring to the women.