Wisconsin residents have likely heard about the sexual harassment and assault allegations made against former movie executive Harvey Weinstein. On Feb. 24, he was convicted on a charge of rape in the third degree in connection with an incident that occurred in 2013. That is when an actress claims that he assaulted her while in a New York City hotel room. Weinstein was also facing allegations that he assaulted another actress in 2006.
Weinstein was sentenced to three years in prison for the 2013 incident and sentenced to 20 years for the 2006 incident. In addition, he must spend five years on supervised release after he gets out of prison. The judge also ordered that he register as a sex offender. His attorney asked the judge to sentence him to five years in prison claiming that he wasn’t being fairly portrayed in court.
His legal counsel also pointed to the fact that he was 67-years-old, which meant that a lengthy prison term could be similar to a death sentence. In a statement, Weinstein denied that he sought power over these women. While he expressed remorse over his actions, he also said that the #MeToo movement was partially at fault for what happened to him.
Someone who is charged with sex offenses and violent crimes may spend many years in prison. He or she might also be required to register as a sex offender, which could make it difficult to find work or housing. An attorney may help a defendant obtain a favorable outcome in a case. This could be done by casting doubt on witness testimony or other evidence used to incriminate the defendant.