Ex-Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was sentenced on Wednesday, March 11, to 23 years in prison for sex crimes.
He was convicted last month of third-degree rape and forcible sexual assault of two women, according to USA Today.
Weinstein’s lawyers argued for the minimum sentence of five years due to his frail health, but Judge James Burke’s sentence was closer to the maximum 29 years.
Weinstein has been accused by more than 90 women of sexual assault or harassment, including renowned actresses Salma Hayek, Uma Thurman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd.
He was convicted of raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a New York hotel in 2013 and sexually assaulting production assistant Miriam Haley in his apartment in 2006.
Both women gave their testimonies at the trial. Mann described the horrific impact Weinstein’s attack had on her.
“It takes a very special kind of evil to exploit connections to leverage rape,” she said, according to AP. “Rape is not just one moment of penetration. It is forever. … The day my screams were heard from the witness room was the day my voice came back to its full power.”
Weinstein’s accusations began in 2017, fueling the #MeToo movement, which encourages people to speak up about sexual assault and harassment they have endured.
“I really feel remorse for this situation,” Weinstein said during his statement to the court, according to CNN. “I feel it deeply in my heart. I will spend my time really caring and really trying to be a better person.
“I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I’ve had wonderful times with these people.”
He also said he believed the sexual relationships with his accusers were consensual, including his relationship with Mann.
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