Harvey Weinstein conviction: After NY judgment overturn, here is what future holds for former producer
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Harvey Weinstein was declared innocent on Thursday, April 25, for his two sex crimes after his 2020 conviction was overturned by a New York appeals court, citing an unfair trial.
The court, however, has asked for a new trial in the case. Also, DA Alvin Bragg’s office’s spokesperson reportedly said, “We will do everything in our power to retry this case, and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault.”
Court claims Harvey Weinstein’s conviction was ‘irrelevant, prejudicial’
Four years ago, Weinstein was sentenced to over two decades in prison for having forced production assistant Miriam “Mimi” Haleyi to have oral sex in 2006 and raping hairstylist Jessica Mann in 2013.
The new decision states, “[Weinstein] was convicted by a jury for various sexual crimes against three named complainants and, on appeal, claims that he was judged, not on the conduct for which he was indicted, but on irrelevant, prejudicial, and untested allegations of prior bad acts,” The Guardian reported.
It also stated, “We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes … the remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial.”
However, despite the overturning, the infamous ex-producer has not been set free as he was found guilty of another rape in 2022 in Los Angeles.
At the time, he was reportedly sentenced to 16 years in prison.
What’s next for Harvey Weinstein?
As per Michael Bachner, a former prosecutor in Manhattan’s DA Office, who spoke with The New York Post, Weinstein is expected to try for bail to get out of the Mohawk Correctional Facility.
He shared, “Procedurally his lawyers are going to make a request, to either the trial court or appellate court, for bail on the grounds that his conviction has been reversed.”
Defense attorney Arthur Aidala said that the 72-year-old controversial man will probably be now shifted to Rikers Island or Bellevue Hospital.
Aidala noted, “It’s like his case begins brand new, like those days almost six years ago, when he was initially arrested and brought in. We start from scratch.”
Meanwhile, Weinstein's spokesperson Juda Engelmayer revealed to the publication that “the next steps are we have to find out what the deal is with Los Angeles – how soon they are going to call for extradition.”
“We want to get him relocated to a medical facility here in New York City closer to his family and home and the lawyers are going to be filing an appeal in LA. We expect he’ll have to go out to LA to serve some time there,” Engelmayer added.
