Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial set, pleads for earlier date as health fails

12 hrs ago

Kennedy Felton Lifestyle Correspondent

By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent), Kalé Carey (Reporter), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

Harvey Weinstein will return to the courtroom for a retrial on rape charges five years after his initial conviction. The former Hollywood producer was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020. However, the verdict was later overturned after New York’s appellate court ruled the trial judge made an error.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Appeal and new indictment

The court granted Weinstein’s appeal, arguing that women who testified about separate allegations unrelated to the case should not have been allowed to. A grand jury indicted Weinstein, now 72, in September on new charges. They include an allegation from a woman who claims he forced her to perform sexual acts in 2006.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Weinstein’s defense asked the judge to throw out the new conviction. His defense claimed the prosecution was using it to strengthen its original case against their client. The judge dismissed the motion.

Weinstein pleads for an earlier trial date

During a court appearance Wednesday, Jan. 29, Weinstein was seen in a wheelchair. Reports indicate he has been diagnosed with a chronic form of leukemia, heart disease and diabetes while incarcerated at Rikers Island. Citing his health condition, Weinstein requested an earlier trial date, stating he does not believe he has much time left and wants to see justice done before his health deteriorates even further.

The judge scheduled the retrial for April but said an earlier trial date could be considered if both the prosecution and defense agree.

Ongoing legal battles

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual harassment and assault over the past three decades. Weinstein denies the allegations, claiming the encounters were consensual.

He was a central figure in the #MeToo movement, which brought to the fore stories of sexual harassment and assault from countless women.

In addition to the New York retrial, Weinstein’s legal team is working to appeal his 2022 conviction in Los Angeles, where he was found guilty of rape and sexual assault.

Tags: Harvey Weinstein, Hollywood, New York, New York City, Prison, Sexual Assault

[Kennedy Felton]

FIVE YEARS AFTER HIS FIRST CONVICTION, HARVEY WEINSTEIN WILL HEAD BACK TO COURT FOR A RETRIAL ON RAPE CHARGES.

HE’S NOW ASKING THE JUDGE FOR AN EARLIER TRIAL DATE, FEARING HE MIGHT DIE BEFORE HE GETS THE CHANCE TO HEAR THE NEW VERDICT.

THE FORMER HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER WAS SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS IN PRISON IN 2020, BUT THAT VERDICT WAS OVERTURNED AFTER NEW YORK’S APPELLATE COURT RULED THE JUDGE MADE AN ERROR.

THE COURT GRANTED WEINSTEIN’S APPEAL, ARGUING THE WOMEN WHO TESTIFIED ABOUT SEPARATE ALLEGATIONS UNRELATED TO THE CASE SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ALLOWED.

A GRAND JURY INDICTED THE 72-YEAR-OLD ON NEW CHARGES–INCLUDING A NEW ALLEDGED VICTIM WHO SAYS WEINSTEIN FORCED HER TO PERFORM SEXUAL ACTS BACK IN 2006.

WEINSTEIN’S DEFENSE ASKED THE JUDGE TO THROW OUT THE NEW CONVICTION, CLAIMING THE PROSECUTION IS USING IT AS AN ATTEMPT TO STRENGTHEN ITS ORIGINAL CASE.

IN A WEDNESDAY COURTROOM, WEINSTEIN SAT IN A WHEELCAIR–-HAVING REPORTEDLY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A CHRONIC FORM OF LEUKEMIA, HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES WHILE AT RIKERS ISLAND.

HE POINTED TO HIS HEALTH CONDITION WHEN REQUESTING AN EARLIER TRIAL DATE, SAYING HE DOESN’T BELIEVE HE HAS MUCH TIME LEFT AND WANTS TO SEE JUSTICE.

THE JUDGE SET THE NEW TRIAL DATE FOR APRIL, WITH PLANS TO CONSIDER AN EARLIER DATE IF BOTH SIDES CAN AGREE.

MORE THAN 80 WOMEN HAVE ACCUSED WEINSTEIN OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS—ALLEGATIONS HE DENIES, DESCRIBING THE ENCOUNTERS AS CONSENSUAL.

WEINSTEIN WAS AT THE CENTER OF THE HASHTAG ME TOO MOVEMENT IN 2017 WHERE WOMEN SHARED THEIR STORIES AND SHED A LIGHT ON SEXUAL ASSAULT.

WEINSTEIN’S LEGAL TEAM IS ALSO APPEALING HIS LOS ANGELES CONVICTION WHERE HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN 2022.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KENNEDY FELTON