Former Hollywood powerhouse Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting former television production assistant Miriam Haley at his Manhattan apartment in 2006. The sentence was handed down on Wednesday in Manhattan after Weinstein was convicted at a retrial of first-degree criminal sexual act involving Haley, who has also been known as Mimi Haleyi. Weinstein, 74, appeared in court in a wheelchair and addressed Judge Curtis Farber before the sentence was imposed.
The sentence followed more than six years of legal proceedings since Weinstein's first conviction, including an overturned 23-year sentence, a second trial, additional charges, a deadlocked jury, and the eventual abandonment of the remaining rape allegation against him. Haley told the court that the consequences of the assault had become a "life sentence" for her, saying the experience had devastated her sense of security and that pursuing accountability had brought further trauma. Weinstein's New York sentence is not the end of his legal troubles.
Weinstein, once one of the most influential figures in the American film industry, addressed Judge Curtis Farber before the sentence was imposed. "I am not a perfect person. I live with many regrets, and sincerely apologise for my actions," Weinstein said. He nevertheless maintained that he was innocent of the sexual assault allegations. "I do have remorse for Miriam Haley's pain, but I have to reiterate my innocence," he told the court.
Judge Farber, in imposing the sentence, pointed to Weinstein's extraordinary fall from prominence. "You had it all. Your legacy could have been cemented with greatness. But you threw it all away by assaulting Miriam Haley," the judge said. Haley, now 49, was working in the entertainment industry when she met Weinstein through a professional connection. She had briefly worked as a production assistant on Project Runway, a reality television programme produced by Weinstein.
Haley testified that she went to Weinstein's Manhattan apartment in 2006 before travelling to Los Angeles for a film premiere. According to her testimony, Weinstein initially approached her for a kiss before grabbing her, forcing her into a bedroom, and sexually assaulting her despite her protests. Her allegations became central to the New York prosecution and ultimately resulted in Weinstein's second conviction on the charge.
Manhattan prosecutors had asked Judge Farber to sentence Weinstein to 20 years in prison. However, his defence lawyers sought a significantly shorter sentence, citing his age and deteriorating health. Defence lawyers said he had been hospitalised six times since 2025 and was dealing with serious medical conditions, including blood cancer, congestive heart failure, and kidney problems.
Weinstein has already spent more than six years in custody since his original conviction. His imprisonment has included periods in New York's state prison system and Rikers Island, before he was moved to a medical unit for incarcerated patients at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. Despite his health problems and the overturned original conviction, Weinstein remained defiant about his legal position, consistently denying raping or sexually assaulting women and pleading not guilty to the charges brought against him.
Key points
- Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years in prison for 2006 sexual assault
- Weinstein's conviction was for first-degree criminal sexual act involving Miriam Haley
- Weinstein's sentence follows over six years of legal proceedings and multiple trials
