The Harvey Weinstein Case...Was His Sentence Fair?- By Bella Verdesco
It has been over two years since the first bombshell reports concerning Hollywood producer, Harvey Weinstein, have risen, detailing allegations of sexual harassment and assault towards multiple women. Finally, on February 24, the verdict came out that Weinstein was found guilty of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual actions...but was this a fair sentence in concern for the victims of his assaults?
Within the past two years, over eighty women in the film industry have since accused Weinstein of such acts, and these are just women in the film industry and not including those outside of the Hollywood spotlight. The earliest incident to have come forward was from Italian model, Ambra Battilana, who claims, "Mr. Weinstein groped her breasts during a business meeting at his office in Manhattan's TriBeCa neighborhood," (New York Times). This incident was reported in 2015 but was quickly dismissed by Manhattans District Attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., as there was not enough evidence to prosecute Weinstein.
Since then celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Cara Delevigne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lupita Nyong'o, and many others have shared their stories about their traumatizing encounters. Many of them all include the same narrative; he would invite the women to watch screenings of a new movie or audition at his home for an upcoming role. He would then try to lure the women up to his room and begin harassing the women into performing sexual acts.
Although many have come out about their experiences, only six women took to the stand to testify. These women include Miriam Haley, Jessica Mann, Annabella Sciorra, Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff, and Lauren Young.
Even with so many accounts of his misdemeanor, Mr. Weinstein was acquitted for the most serious charges of rape- two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of first degree rape, which could put him in jail for life. Instead, Weinstein got the lesser of the sentences and will only serve five to twenty five years in jail.
Although Mr. Weinstein will still be behind bars for his heinous crimes, I do not believe that his sentence charges were fair in aspects to all of the women he has assaulted. I know I should probably not include my own thoughts on this case, as it is a touchy one, but I feel that his sentence should be one of longer length. With all of the women who have come out to share their stories, and with so many of them having similar nature, it is undeniable that he is guilty and I feel that the sentence he was given was not fair in the aspects concerning all of the women he has harassed. Justice needs to be served and I feel that justice did not fully prevail in this court case.
Resources-
https://www.npr.org/2020/02/24/805258433/harvey-weinstein-found-guilty-of-rape-but-acquitted-of-most-sexual-assault-charg
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/harvey-weinstein-hospital-rape-trial-sentencing-new-york-bellevue-a9370436.html
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/23/us/witnesses-harvey-weinstein-trial/index.html
https://www.flare.com/celebrity/harvey-weinstein-victims/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/nyregion/harvey-weinstein-case-sexual-assault.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/us/harvey-weinstein-verdict-metoo.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Weinstein_sexual_abuse_cases
Within the past two years, over eighty women in the film industry have since accused Weinstein of such acts, and these are just women in the film industry and not including those outside of the Hollywood spotlight. The earliest incident to have come forward was from Italian model, Ambra Battilana, who claims, "Mr. Weinstein groped her breasts during a business meeting at his office in Manhattan's TriBeCa neighborhood," (New York Times). This incident was reported in 2015 but was quickly dismissed by Manhattans District Attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., as there was not enough evidence to prosecute Weinstein.
Since then celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Cara Delevigne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lupita Nyong'o, and many others have shared their stories about their traumatizing encounters. Many of them all include the same narrative; he would invite the women to watch screenings of a new movie or audition at his home for an upcoming role. He would then try to lure the women up to his room and begin harassing the women into performing sexual acts.
Although many have come out about their experiences, only six women took to the stand to testify. These women include Miriam Haley, Jessica Mann, Annabella Sciorra, Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff, and Lauren Young.
Even with so many accounts of his misdemeanor, Mr. Weinstein was acquitted for the most serious charges of rape- two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of first degree rape, which could put him in jail for life. Instead, Weinstein got the lesser of the sentences and will only serve five to twenty five years in jail.
Although Mr. Weinstein will still be behind bars for his heinous crimes, I do not believe that his sentence charges were fair in aspects to all of the women he has assaulted. I know I should probably not include my own thoughts on this case, as it is a touchy one, but I feel that his sentence should be one of longer length. With all of the women who have come out to share their stories, and with so many of them having similar nature, it is undeniable that he is guilty and I feel that the sentence he was given was not fair in the aspects concerning all of the women he has harassed. Justice needs to be served and I feel that justice did not fully prevail in this court case.
Resources-
https://www.npr.org/2020/02/24/805258433/harvey-weinstein-found-guilty-of-rape-but-acquitted-of-most-sexual-assault-charg
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/harvey-weinstein-hospital-rape-trial-sentencing-new-york-bellevue-a9370436.html
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/23/us/witnesses-harvey-weinstein-trial/index.html
https://www.flare.com/celebrity/harvey-weinstein-victims/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/nyregion/harvey-weinstein-case-sexual-assault.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/us/harvey-weinstein-verdict-metoo.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Weinstein_sexual_abuse_cases
I agree with you... he definitely should have a much longer sentence. There were so many women who have come out about what he did and this should be just cause for a much longer sentence.
ReplyDeleteHe's awful. Even if his sentence should have been longer, I'm glad that he is paying for what he's done.
ReplyDeleteWhat Harvey Weinstein did was TERRIBLE. I can't believe, in respect to the amount of women that have come out, that Weinstein only got 23 years in prison. It is a disgrace to our legal system and I can honestly say that each and every one of those women deserved more justice than they got.
ReplyDeleteSo true, definitely think he should've gotten a longer sentence especially even after all the women who've came out and said something.
ReplyDeleteWow! Could not agree more!! What he did was unacceptable. Yet again Bella you have broken the fourth wall and hit straight to the heart. Your are truly the best writer this side of the Mississippi.
ReplyDelete