Facing 29 years in prison for rape, Harvey Weinstein has asked a judge to show mercy after his “historic fall from grace” and increasing serious health issues, according to news reports.
Weinstein, 67, will be sentenced Wednesday after a jury found him guilty of first-degree sexual assault and third-degree rape on Feb. 24.
On Tuesday, lawyers for the disgraced Hollywood movie mogul sent a letter to the Judge James Burke, asking for a five-year sentence, and saying anything more than that would constitute a life sentence.
“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," the lawyers said in the court filing, adding that he “cannot walk outside without being heckled.”
Weinstein’s health has been the subject of questions since the beginning of his New York trial.
He looked frail and showed up everyday using a walker because, he had been in a car accident according to his lawyers. After his conviction, he spent more than a week at Bellevue Hospital, where he underwent heart surgery after experiencing high blood pressure and heart palpitations.
CNN reports that Weinstein felt dizzy and fell down Sunday at Rikers Island jail complex, where he is now being held pending his sentence.
“Harvey says his head throbs all the time and thinks he has a concussion. He has not been officially diagnosed,” Englemayer said, according to CNN.
“The grave reality is that Mr. Weinstein may not even outlive that term,” the lawyers wrote, arguing against a “de facto life sentence.”
The letter also asked the judge to consider Weinstein's charitable donations he made while he was still a powerful Hollywood persona, according to Fox News.
Weinstein faced five charges in his New York trial. He was found guilty of , two − criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree. He was acquitted on two counts of predatory sexual assault and rape in the first degree.
He still faces trial on similar charges in California.
Prosecutors said the judge should punish Weinstein for “a lifetime of abuse toward others, sexual and otherwise,” and for “his total lack of remorse for the harm he has done.”
The five years defense attorneys are asking is a far cry from the potential 29-year maximum term allowed by law. Reports say the judge could allow the sentences to run concurrently.
What’s next
The Associated Press reports that once Weinstein is sentenced, he’ll be transferred from the city’s jail system to the state prison system. There, he will undergo a thorough evaluation, including a comprehensive medical review, to determine which facility is best for his physical and security needs, AP reports.
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