Harvey Weinstein - New New York trial starts in November
Former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein (72) is back in court. On Tuesday, Weinstein appeared at a hearing in a Manhattan courthouse in New York City. He made a feeble impression and had to be wheeled to his seat in a wheelchair. The Manhattan District Attorney's office stated that realistically, a new trial could begin in November. Currently, investigations are still ongoing, and the gained knowledge cannot be presented to a grand jury yet.
According to the deputy district attorney Nicole Blumberg, current investigations involve allegations from potential victims who could not testify against Weinstein during the first New York trial. "People are still investigating in this traumatic matter," she said, "it's an ongoing process." Weinstein's attorney Arthur Aidala told "ABC News" that it was merely a delaying tactic by the authorities.
First judgment in New York overturned
The former film producer was first sentenced to 23 years in prison by a New York court in 2020 for rape and sexual assault. However, in April, the judgment was overturned by the highest court in the state of New York. The reason: The presiding judge allowed statements from women to be made in court who were not victims and spoke negatively about Weinstein. This had no connection to the case and may have influenced the jury.
Despite the overturning by the highest court, Weinstein remains in prison as he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison in Los Angeles in 2022 for sexual offenses. The sentence was confirmed in early 2023. The allegations against the former film mogul triggered the #metoo movement worldwide in 2017, which drew attention to sexual assaults on women.
Nicole Blumberg, a deputy district attorney from the Public prosecutor's office in Manhattan, is involved in the ongoing investigations regarding Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein's legal proceedings are taking place in the same Manhattan courthouse where Hollywood celebrities often have their hearings. If the investigations conclusively prove new allegations against Weinstein, a new trial might be scheduled in Hollywood instead of Manhattan, given his previous convictions there. Despite the overturned sentence for rape and sexual assault in a Manhattan court, Weinstein is currently serving time in a prison in Los Angeles for similar charges.
