Former Hollywood mega-producer Harvey Weinstein, who was convicted in December of sexually assaulting a woman in the Los Angeles area, will be sentenced on Feb. 23, Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench announced on Monday.
Weinstein’s defense had requested additional time to file a motion for a new trial on the case, which Judge Lench has allowed. However, she told the court after announcing the sentencing date, “I expect it will go forward that day.”
In a split verdict announced on Dec. 19, Weinstein was convicted of one count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, and sexual penetration by a foreign object. All of those counts related to a woman identified as Jane Doe #1 and the crimes took place on or about Feb. 18, 2013.
The 70-year-old, truly the most powerful man in L.A. for years, was acquitted of a felony charge of sexual battery by restraint involving an alleged attack on a masseuse— alleged by a woman referred to as Jane Doe #3—in 2010, but the jury deadlocked on a lesser count involving the same woman. The judge noted that the misdemeanor count was not charged and the prosecution said in December that it had no intention to move forward involving that alleged victim.
The case’s prosecutors have not announced a decision as to whether they will seek a retrial involving charges on which jurors deadlocked involving two other alleged victims, dubbed Jane Doe #2 and Jane Doe #4. The latter has been publicly identified by her attorney as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wife. Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
The last day for a retrial will be April 24 if the case proceeds on those charges.
Weinstein had been extradited from New York to stand trial in Los Angeles. He has remained jailed following his conviction in New York for raping an aspiring actress and for a criminal sex act against a former production assistant. However, New York’s highest court has since agreed to hear his appeal in that case.
Weinstein did not testify in his own defense.
At the time of the alleged crimes. Weinstein was one of the most powerful people in the world. He and his brother, Bob, created Miramax Films, which produced modern classics including Pulp Fiction, Heavenly Creatures and Velvet Goldmine while producing dozens of Oscar-winning films like Shakespeare in Love and Good Will Hunting.
City News Service contributed to this report
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