Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years in prison in LA sexual assault case

Former producerHarvey Weinstein on Thursday was sentenced to 16 years in prison over the charge of raping a European actress in a Beverly Hills hotel room a decade ago.

The 70-year-old producer who is already serving a 23-year sentence over a sex crimes conviction in New York was handed the latest sentence by a Los Angeles court.

Weinstein attended the hearing in a wheelchair, and requested, "Please don't sentence me to life in prison. I don't deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case."

However, Judge Lisa Lench handed him three consecutive sentences including forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by a foreign object, and forcible rape, which totals 16 years.

The actress, whose identity has not been revealed, urged Lench to give Weinstein "the maximum sentence allowable," which would have been 18 years.

She said, "His selfish, disgusting actions have greatly impacted my life. There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage."

The producer's attorneys said that they will appeal the Los Angeles verdict, which came with his conviction by a jury in December last year.

However, prosecutors said Weinstein exploited and abused women for years, and enjoyed impunity because of his then-powerful position in the movie industry.

Watch | Former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of rape and sexual assault

The prosecutors added that women would have risked losing their upcomingprospects if they had publicly accused Weinstein back then.

Weinstein was ultimately convicted in the Los Angeles case of assaulting one woman but acquitted of sexual battery involving a second.

Other than this case, a jury has not yet reached a verdict on charges relating to the alleged assaults of two other women, one of whom was identified as Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the now-wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

(with inputs from agencies)

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