- New York prosecutors want to reopen the rape trial against former film producer Harvey Weinstein.
- This was announced by representatives of the public prosecutor’s office at a hearing in a court in New York. Weinstein, 72, was there himself.
- A week ago, the appeals court overturned the MeToo movement’s landmark 2020 ruling against Weinstein due to procedural errors.
The prosecution and defense agree: “We believe in this case and we will reopen it,” said deputy public prosecutor Nicole Blumberg in a court in New York. The defense also agreed to a new trial.
Legend:
Former film producer Harvey Weinstein in the Manhattan Criminal Court, New York, in his first public appearance since the court ruling was overturned.
REUTERS/David Dee Delgado
Both sides signaled that they could be ready for a new trial in the fall if that fits into the court’s schedule. The judge responsible scheduled a new hearing for May 29th.
Whether there will actually be a new trial in the fall could also depend on whether witnesses want to testify again.
Appeals court overturns verdict
The New York Court of Appeals concluded in a 4-3 decision on April 25 that the then-judge made procedural errors by allowing prosecutors to introduce statements from women even though they were not part of the prosecution. They said Weinstein attacked them.
Additionally, the appeals court ruled that the judge compounded the error by subjecting Weinstein to cross-examination. This portrayed him in a “highly disadvantageous” light. The court ruled that this made a new procedure necessary.
Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexual offenses in 2020. He remains in custody because he was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2023 in another criminal trial in Los Angeles that also involved sex crimes.