Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 additional years in prison

Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced in the recent Los Angeles rape trial. The disgraced producer was previously convicted on three counts of rape and sexual assault in connection to an anonymous survivor known as Jane Doe #1. (He was acquitted of an additional assault, while jurors failed to reach a verdict regarding two other survivors, including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of California governor Gavin Newsom.) A judge sentenced Weinstein to 16 more years in prison, on top of his sentence from New York state.

Weinstein’s lawyers—whose misogynistic tactics throughout the trial included calling Siebel Newsom “just another bimbo who slept with Harvey Weinstein to get ahead in Hollywood”—attempted to thwart this sentencing by filing a motion for a new trial. The motion, which the judge shot down prior to Thursday’s sentencing, was filed on the grounds that “the jury should have seen evidence suggesting that the actress he was convicted of raping was having an affair with another man,” per The Guardian.

“I maintain that I’m innocent. I never raped or sexually assaulted Jane Doe #1. I never knew this woman, and the fact is she doesn’t know me. This is about money,” the 70-year-old said while addressing the court immediately before the sentencing (per Deadline). “Please don’t sentence me to life in prison. I don’t deserve it. There are so many things wrong with this case.”

Weinstein was previously convicted of rape charges in the state of New York two years ago. He’s currently serving a sentence of 23 years in prison as a result of that conviction. His legal troubles continue as Jane Doe #1, the figure at the center of the criminal trial, has filed a civil lawsuit against him alleging sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. A spokesperson for Weinstein reasserted his denial of these accusations in a statement to Deadline.

“Certain witnesses lied about crucial evidence that could have exonerated Mr. Weinstein, and it was deemed unnecessary by the court for the jury to hear or know about these facts,” the spokesperson said. “His attorneys submitted a motion detailing those facts and contend that the jury would not have convicted him had they had known the specifics and that motion speaks for itself and puts this in proper context.”