Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein to be sentenced in Los Angeles

By Mike Bedigan, PA Los Angeles Correspondent

Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein could face up to 24 years in prison when he is sentenced for rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The movie mogul was found guilty of rape, forced oral copulation and another sexual misconduct count involving a woman known as Jane Doe One, after a trial in December.

The woman said the incident happened after Weinstein appeared uninvited at her hotel room during a Los Angeles film festival in 2013.

A jury of eight men and four women reached the guilty verdict after nine days of deliberation.

In her closing arguments deputy district attorney Marlene Martinez said: “It is time for the defendant’s reign of terror to end.

“It is time for the kingmaker to be brought to justice.”

Weinstein previously pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of rape and sexual assault involving five women in Los Angeles.

After the December trial the jury was unable to reach a decision on several counts, notably on charges involving Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California governor Gavin Newsom.

The jury was also unable to reach verdicts on the allegations of another woman. A mistrial was declared on those counts.

Weinstein was acquitted of a sexual battery allegation made by another woman.

The sentencing on Thursday was delayed from January 9th.

It was previously ruled that only one of Weinstein’s victims would be allowed to read an impact statement at the hearing.

The former film producer is already serving a 23-year sentence for a different rape and sexual assault conviction in New York, which is under appeal.