Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Wednesday after being convicted of rape on February 24th, in what many are seeing as a huge victory for the #MeToo movement.
Before his sentencing, the 67-year-old addressed the court in a barely audible voice. He said: “I really feel remorse for this situation. I feel it deeply in my heart. I will spend my time really caring and really trying to be a better person.”
But he also spoke about what he saw as the ambiguity of their relationship. “I'm not going to say that these aren't great people,” he said, adding that he is “totally confused” by the charges.
He also spoke darkly about the ripple effect for the rest of the country. “I am worried about this country in a sense, too.”
Jessica Mann and Miriam Haley, whom he was convicted of assaulting, also spoke.
Mann called Weinstein “a crumbling senior citizen who is literally deteriorating before their eyes,” but said that her life has been “irreparably harmed” by what happened.
Haley said: “If Harvey Weinstein had not been convicted by this jury, it would have happened again and again and again. I'm relieved he will now know he's not above the law. I'm relieved there are women out there who are safer because he's not out there.”
Judge James Burke sentenced Weinstein to 20 years in prison for first-degree criminal sex act and 3 years in prison for third-degree rape.
Weinstein now faces assault charges in L.A., and while an arraignment date has not been set, the D.A. says he’ll be extradited there to face the charges.