Harvey Weinstein Sentenced to 15 Years After New York Retrial

Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday following his retrial in New York, where he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a former production assistant in 2006, according to court proceedings.

The sentencing marks the latest stage in a years-long legal process against the once-powerful Hollywood producer, whose original 2020 conviction became a landmark moment in the #MeToo movement after dozens of women accused him of sexual misconduct spanning decades.

Legal background

Weinstein's original New York conviction was overturned on appeal, leading to a retrial on some of the underlying charges. The case retried and resolved this week centered specifically on the 2006 assault of the production assistant, one of several accusers whose allegations were part of the broader prosecution against him.

Weinstein, now in his seventies, has denied wrongdoing throughout the legal proceedings and has maintained that any sexual contact with his accusers was consensual. His legal team has signaled it may pursue further appeals.

Weinstein separately faces or has faced related legal proceedings in California, where he was previously convicted on other sexual assault charges. Wednesday's sentencing in New York adds to the cumulative prison term he faces across jurisdictions.

The case has been closely watched as a bellwether for how courts handle historic sexual assault allegations against high-profile figures, and as a test of the durability of convictions secured during the height of the #MeToo movement.