Leonard Cohen’s Ex-Manager Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

Foollowing her conviction on harassment charges, Leonard Cohen‘s former business manager, Kelley Lynch, was sentenced to 18 months in prison with five years’ probation, the Los Angeles Times reports. She is also banned from owning weapons for the next 10 years and will have to undergo anger management classes, psychological training and alcohol education sessions while in custody. Upon release, she will be required to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Last week a Los Angeles court found Lynch guilty of harassing the songwriter. She was convicted on five charges of violating protective orders, making harassing phone calls and sending thousands of emails.

“It gives me no pleasure to see my onetime friend shackled to a chair in a court of law,” said Cohen, “her considerable gifts bent to the service of darkness, deceit and revenge.”

In a statement made before being sentenced, Lynch blamed prosecutors for carrying out a “vicious attack” on her, though she added, “I do believe that I have engaged in excessive and unauthorized rambling.”

Lynch and Cohen worked together for 17 years, but Cohen fired her in 2004 and sued her in 2005, accusing her of stealing $5 million from his personal accounts and investments. After a judge granted Cohen a default judgment, Lynch was obligated to pay back $9.5 million. Her harassment of Cohen began soon thereafter.