On many charges of sexual assault, including rape and forced oral copulation, a jury found Harvey Weinstein guilty in December.
The Los Angeles jury who convicted Harvey Weinstein of rape on Thursday sentenced him to 16 years to life in prison.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Juda Engelmayer, told Fox News Digital that the sentence was “harsh” given Weinstein’s age, health, and the circumstances of his conviction in Los Angeles, where the sole accusation came from a person who lied, and where the court and the prosecution knew about and tolerated this. “Justice does not look like a mob pouring on someone they have already decided should die.
“We intend to challenge this in court. This judge will face accusations of bias and injustice, much as the New York judge who heard his case and was subsequently removed from the court. There will be others who disagree with me, but it is a terrible day for justice and fairness, and I hope those who celebrate it never find themselves in a position where they have to recant their principles because they have no other choice.”
The anonymous “Jane Doe 1” who testified against Harvey Weinstein in December was convicted by a jury of sexual harassment in December. Some of the charges included rape and threats made over the phone.
According to The Associated Press, a mistrial was declared in the trial of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, since the jury could not reach a judgment on several allegations.
The jury couldn’t reach a verdict in her case and the other women for the same reason. We have called a mistrial on the charges. Several of the other sexual assault claims against Weinstein were dropped as well.
Jane Doe 1’s lawyer David Ring told Fox News Digital, “Jane Doe 1 may finally rest easy knowing that Harvey Weinstein will spend the remainder of his life in prison.” Now that she has received her penance for today, Jane Doe 1 may finally rest peacefully.” Jane Doe 1, like the other women who have come forward to testify against Weinstein, has shown incredible courage. At the trial that resulted in Harvey Weinstein’s guilt and sentencing, Jane Doe 1 testified and was subjected to two days of rigorous cross-examination by Weinstein’s lawyers. Harvey Weinstein is in a tough spot now that no escape routes are available to him.”
A lawyer representing Siebel Newsom and Ashley Matthau, Elizabeth Fegan, has issued a statement. “This problem was fixed just now. Judge Lisa Lench’s life sentence of 16 years guarantees that Harvey Weinstein will spend the rest of his life behind bars. The only reason the serial rapist was brought to justice and given a significant time was that eight brave women spoke out against him. No one believed he would be able to testify about the assault he endured without displaying some degree of vulnerability. They understood that taking Weinstein to court would invite the violent, sexist attacks they feared.
“The gratitude and admiration shown to these women are highly warranted.
My clients Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Ashley Matthau, the First Partner of California, were not pleased with the result and were aware that Harvey Weinstein may appeal his sentence in New York. Their bold actions gave survivors of Harvey Weinstein’s abuse a voice. To a doubt, this will not erase their losses, but sharing their experiences of overcoming adversity may help others.”
Former California governor Gavin Newsom has previously expressed his “extremely proud” views toward his wife and “all the brave women who come forward to speak their truth and inspire countless others who cannot.”
To continue, he said “Maybe the strength and resolve they have shown might serve as an example to the rest of us. They need to have their opinions taken seriously and their rights protected.”
Once the conviction was revealed in December, Engelmayer gave the following interview to Fox News Digital “Harvey is frustrated because of the verdict. As a bonus, he is aware of what did not occur. Jane Doe 1 is likely to prevail in court even if the alleged time and place don’t line up. Harvey appreciates the jury’s work on the other counts, but he will continue to fight.”
The Los Angeles jury deliberated for almost a week after hearing all of the evidence in the month-long trial. Two of the five women who came forward with allegations against Weinstein described being physically abused by him.
For a very long time, Weinstein has insisted that he is innocent, stating that he would never have engaged in sexual assault without the consent of the victim. A 23-year term handed down by New York has already been served by the disgraced Hollywood mogul, who is now 70 years old. He was accused of and convicted guilty of rape.
Four women from Los Angeles and Beverly Hills have accused Weinstein of sexual assault between 2004 and 2013, and in July 2021, he was extradited to California to face these charges.
Two occurrences involving Weinstein in London in 1996 have been opened as investigations.
The United Kingdom is unique among industrialized countries in that there is no statute of limitations for reporting sexual assault or rape.
Authorities in Britain have stated that they are looking into claims of sexual assault against Weinstein dating back to the 1980s and as recently as 2015.