Harvey Weinstein seeks mercy, faces prospect of dying in prison
- Defence team asked a judge to consider a sentence of only five years
- The 67-year-old convicted rapist potentially faces 29-year maximum term
With prosecutors seeking a severe punishment for Harvey Weinstein in his landmark #MeToo case, his lawyers argued on Monday that he deserves mercy for his already “historic fall from grace” and serious health issues.
In a letter filed in advance of Weinstein’s sentencing on Wednesday for his New York City rape conviction, his defence team asked Judge James Burke to give him to only five years behind bars – a far cry from the potential 29-year maximum term allowed by law.
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 ailing 67-year-old defendant 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.
From the start, Weinstein’s use of a walking frame to get in and out of court each day at his trial raised questions about his health. 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 in an infirmary on the notorious Rikers Island jail complex.
In addition to the heart issues, Weinstein’s lawyers have said he was also dealing with the ramifications of unsuccessful back surgery stemming from a car crash last summer and a condition that requires shots in his eyes so he does not go blind.
