His Hollywood Sexual Abuse Crimes, Explained

Topline

Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday on one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault, adding to an existing 23-year prison sentence, after allegations of sexual assault dating back decades brought down one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood—and sparked a wave of accusations against other powerful people.

The disgraced film producer will add 16 years onto his previous 23-year prison sentence for sex … [+] crimes. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Weinstein will serve his 16-year sentence—imposed by a court in Los Angeles—consecutively with a 23-year sentence ordered by a New York court in 2020, meaning the 70-year-old will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

In December, Weinstein was convicted of rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles court after a model and actress, referred to in the trial as Jane Doe #1, testified the producer assaulted her in a hotel after the Los Angeles Italia Film Festival in February 2013.

Weinstein faced 11 charges in his Los Angeles trial: He was convicted on the three relating to Jane Doe No. 1, but four charges relating to another unnamed woman called Jane Doe No. 5 were dropped, he was acquitted of a felony sexual battery charge relating to Jane Doe No. 3 and a mistrial was declared on charges related to Jane Doe No. 2 and Jane Doe No. 4.

Jane Doe No. 4 was identified as Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who testified in November that Weinstein raped her in a hotel room in 2005 after she met him at the Toronto Film Festival.

Before his sentencing, Weinstein called the case a “setup” and continued to deny wrongdoing, claiming he and Jane Doe No. 1 never knew each other and the case was about “money” (Weinstein pleaded not guilty).

Three years ago, Weinstein was separately convicted of third degree rape and criminal sexual act in the first degree in a New York court, leading to a 23-year sentence.The New York trial focused primarily on charges of abuse against actress Jessica Mann and former Project Runway production assistant Mimi Haley, though prosecutors called four of Weinstein’s other accusers to testify about his alleged pattern of abuse (Weinstein also pleaded not guilty in that case).

The allegations against Weinstein that made it to trial represent just a handful of the claims against the longtime film producer: More than 100 women in total have accused Weinstein of sexual assault or harassment, according to The Cut, including many instances in which he allegedly promised career advancement, following a 2017 expose in The New York Times detailing his decades of sexual harassment and paying settlements to victims.

Key Background

Weinstein cofounded the film production and distribution company Miramax with his brother in 1979 and the film studio The Weinstein Company in 2005. He produced films that reaped major awards and box office profits, including Shakespeare in Love, which won him the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1999, though he was known for aggressive Oscar campaign tactics. Though Weinstein’s abusive practices didn’t make major headlines until 2017, some Hollywood figures knew about it and rumors circulated in the press. Director Quentin Tarantino said he once confronted Weinstein about his behavior, and Courtney Love warned aspiring actresses in a 2005 interview that if “Weinstein invites you to a private party in the Four Seasons, don’t go.” Despite his abuse allegations spanning decades, journalists initially struggled to cover the issue because many victims feared retaliation if they were to speak on the record against the powerful producer. Weinstein was questioned by police in 2015 for allegedly groping Italian model Ambra Gutierrez, who captured an audio recording of her interaction with Weinstein, but he was never charged; the New York Police Department and District Attorney’s office later blamed each other for not pursuing charges. Weinstein’s decades of harassment came to light in October 2017, when both The New York Times and The New Yorker published investigations detailing instances of him allegedly committing sexual assault and paying off victims, including actresses Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan. The exposes quickly prompted other alleged victims to come forward; a group of women published a list of 100 allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against Weinstein in November 2017. Weinstein told the New York Times he apologized for behavior that “caused a lot of pain,” though he denied acts of nonconsensual sex and retaliation to The New Yorker. The Weinstein revelations helped spark the #MeToo movement, causing sexual misconduct accusations to emerge against scores of other high-profile people, particularly in the entertainment industry.

Crucial Quote

“Before that night I was a very happy and confident woman,” Jane Doe No. 1 said about Weinstein’s assault. “I valued myself and the relationship I had with God. I was excited about my future. Everything changed after the defendant brutally assaulted me. There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage.”

What To Watch For

Weinstein filed an appeal against his New York conviction last month, asking the New York Court of Appeals to throw out his conviction and suggesting that he instead be charged on one count of a criminal sexual act. Weinstein’s lawyers argued the New York trial was unfair because Judge James Burke allowed prosecutors to use testimony about previous alleged incidents of abuse unrelated to Weinstein’s charges and that the courts succumbed to the “pressure” of the #MeToo movement.

Surprising Fact

She Said, a film chronicling the 2017 New York Times investigation into Weinstein’s abuse, hit theaters in November 2022. Starring Carey Mulligan as Megan Twohey and Zoe Kazan as Jodi Kantor, the film released to positive reviews but struggled at the box office.

Tangent

Weinstein’s sentencing on Thursday came just hours after disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly, who has also faced decades of allegations of sexual abuse, received a 20-year prison sentence to be served mostly concurrently with a previous sentence, bringing his total prison term to 31 years.