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HARVEY WEINSTEIN WILL be sentenced today for his New York rape conviction.
The sentencing may bring an end to one of the most high-profile criminal prosecutions in years, as Weinstein – once one of the most powerful men in the film business – will learn how long he will spend behind bars.
Last month, the disgraced Hollywood mogul was convicted of sexual assault and rape.
He was found guilty of third degree rape in the case of Jessica Mann, 34, who said Weinstein raped her in March 2013. He was found guilty of first degree sexual assault in the case of Mimi Haleyi, who alleged he forcibly performed oral sex on her in July 2006.
After his February 24 conviction, he was sent to Bellevue Hospital amid concerns about high blood pressure and heart palpitations for more than a week before being transferred late last week to an infirmary at the notorious Rikers Island jail complex.
Rikers is one of America’s most high-profile prisons and has incarcerated celebrities including Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, rapper Tupac Shakur and former International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
The sprawling complex, known for regular violent incidents against inmates and guards, is due to close by 2026.
Sentence
The court will convene at 9.30 am today (1.30 pm Irish time) and soon after the sentence will be handed down.
On the criminal sex act count, Weinstein faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 25 years, while the third-degree rape count carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison – meaning Weinstein could face 29 years in prison.
The case, and subsequently Weinstein’s conviction, has been seen as a flashpoint in the #MeToo movement and has caused ripples well beyond Hollywood.
In the UK, earlier this week, a former Scottish government official who has accused former first minister Alex Salmond of sexual assault said she suffered flashbacks following the Harvey Weinstein case.
More generally, the story sparked a conversation about the mistreatment of women by powerful men.
Letter
In a letter filed in advance of Weinstein’s sentencing today for his New York City rape conviction, his defence team asked Judge James Burke to give him to only five years behind bars — far from the potential 29-year maximum term.
A man who was once admired for putting part of his fortune into charitable causes during his rise to one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers now “cannot walk outside without being heckled”, the papers say.
“He has lost his means to earn a living. Simply put, his fall from grace has been historic, perhaps unmatched in the age of social media.”
Even if the 67-year-old is given a lesser term, “the grave reality is that Mr Weinstein may not even outlive that term” making it “a de facto life sentence,” the papers say.
His legal team has already promised an appeal, suggesting that the saga may not yet be over.
With reporting from Dominic McGrath and AFP
Great idea we’ll done An Post
Bravo An Post!
Great idea, well done AnPost
It is a move that is needed, but it shows how bad are things that we are now changing the system to facilitate the homeless… No sign of it ending any time soon then….
@MickN: well as FG would tell ya… sher it’s only normal
@MickN: stop complaining it’s a great idea
@John Murt: He’s not complaining about the idea. He’s complaining about the reason it’s now necessary and he’s absolutely right to complain about that. Stop telling people not to complain about things that warrant it.
@MickN: How are they in any way “changing the system” ? It’s An Post providing free of charge to homeless people an already available service called a PO. Box. Cost is minimal to An Post and it’s good PR, but still, fair play to them.
Well done An Post
Another superb innovation by a company to be proud of
Good idea but shame on our useless govs who’d rather see problems normalized instead of fixing them.
@Adrian: We’re not the only country in the world with a homeless crisis nor even close to the worst for it, if there was an easy solution then that wouldn’t be the case.
Plus even during times of the lowest ever homeless numbers, there’s always some people homeless such as those with addictions etc. This is a great idea for a great service but I guess there will always be mindless complaining from some.
@Shane Corry: What a mindless comment. Our situation got to this because our government stopped building affordable housing. Did you not know that?
@Shane Corry: we’re also probably among the least densely populated of all these countries but just because all the other countries have a homeless problem shouldn’t be used as an excuse for our own govs failings. Also what about the 10s of thousands of misplaced and hidden homeless which our useless idiotic politicians like to pretend don’t exist. The sooner this country is rid of these FFG idiot gombeen parties and their joke of a shower of politicians the better.
Great Service. Well done to An Post.
Good on ya…now that’s service
Great idea, but this has been used in many countries for decades now, called post restante
@DJ François: I used it traveling Australia in the 80’s
@DJ François: very different service…you can get mail sent there but not use it as official address for banks and govt depts etc
@DJ François: very different service, post restante is addressed to the post office (An Post have run this for years) while Addresspoint patrons will be given an actual address that will be indistinguishable from a standard real address. Thus removing the stigma of being homeless when applying for work etc
Fantastic idea ,well done an post.
Really cool
Great.. Can we please retitle this article to any of the following “Government plan to use An Post as address service for homeless in dramatic move to be able to call all those who avail no longer homeless but move them off the register.” too long winded? “An post fix enables government to solve embarassing homeless numbers” or maybe “here is the latest sugary news on homelessness aimed to condition you the reader to believe this is normal and inevitable in society,” or “today’s Liberal feel good news on how we treat our fellow humans. (so you can stay comfortably numb and not get angry at those elected to serve all the people}.. A postal address is already provided by Simon and other charities trying to fill the hole left by callous lack of respect for other humans that is the hallmark of Irish state.
@PhoTangoIrl:No offence Pho but would you stop many post offices & one Simon community spread in just a few locations..It’s a great idea.
I don’t think article needs to be retitled at all.
@Aidan Dorney: my point is not against the idea, it is against the messaging. We are not doing enough as a nation
Yes radical thinking by An post. Link it up with Phone & email notifications &
the job’s oxo.
Fantastic and novel idea Let’s hope that Govt Departments are prevented from reducing the homeless figures on the back
of this initiative. Out of the box thinking
by some clever person at An Post. Well done !
Fantastic idea! Innovative, practical and so enabling. Well done.
Yup normalise this whole fiasco, big business now it is…
A case of swings and roundabouts I reckon…Gov trying to reduce the actual homeless figures…Need an address to access social welfare entitlements, then this gives you an address…BUT if you’ve got an address then YOU ARE NO LONGER HOMELESS!!
Fantastic and novel idea Let’s hope that Govt Departments are prevented from reducing the homeless figures on the back
of this initiative. Out of the box thinking
by some clever person at a An Post. Well done !
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