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In a sentencing memorandum released on Friday, Manhattan prosecutors urged the judge to “impose a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s offenses, his total lack of remorse for the harm he has caused, and the need to deter him and others from engaging in further criminal conduct.”
The prosecutors want Weinstein’s sentence to be as close to the maximum possible (25 years) for the two sex crimes for which he was recently convicted. Despite strict evidentiary rules at trial, the sentencing court is not limited to the evidence at trial. Thus, in making a sentencing determination, the judge is able to consider a wide range of factors, including the defendant’s past history of “misconduct.” Throughout the memo, the prosecutors detail a list of thirty-six allegations for the judge to consider, divided into three categories: (1) alleged acts of sexual assault and harassment; (2) alleged abusive behavior in Weinstein’s work environment; and (3) other alleged “bad acts.”
After his recent hospitalization at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, Weinstein is now being held at the infirmary at the Rikers Island jail complex until his sentencing. Weinstein’s sentencing hearing is on March 11. Check back for updates.