Former American film producer Harvey Weinstein is awaiting sentencing on Thursday after he was charged with raping and assaulting a woman at a hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
The charges filed in California courts left Weinstein facing 18 years in prison, which would mean spending the rest of his life behind bars.
The 70-year-old Oscar-winning producer is serving a 23-year sentence for sexual assault in a trial that was completed in New York in 2020.
Weinstein was found guilty of rape and forced sexual penetration with an object in a Los Angeles court on December 19. The identity of the victim has been preserved.
For a month, the 12 jurors listened to several women – who were trying to build a career in entertainment at the time of the crime – who accused the film producer of cornering and abusing them in hotel rooms.
The women, including California first lady Jennifer Siebel-Newsom, described sexual encounters that allegedly took place against their will and under physical or psychological coercion.
Victims alleged that the producer exploited and abused them for years, taking advantage of the impunity afforded by his position of power in the entertainment industry.
In contrast, the defense argued that Weinstein’s relationships were consensual and focused on the idea that all encounters were like transactions, with women seeking an opportunity in the film industry, an industry in which his client dominated for many years.
The jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting one of the women, but acquitted him of assault by a second woman and was unable to reach a consensus on the charges involving two others, including Siebel-Newsom.
Thursday’s session begins with a hearing on a defense motion, which would call for a new trial or a reduced sentence.
Court documents viewed by AFP show that Weinstein’s lawyers were denied key evidence about the victim, including Facebook posts featuring an alleged lover, which prosecutors deemed irrelevant.
If the request is denied, the verdict will be read immediately, said Judge Lisa Lench.
Source: DN
