Harvey Weinstein Hospitalized Again with COVID and Other Ailments

Jailed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was moved to a New York hospital on Thursday, suffering from multiple health issues, including COVID-19, according to a statement by his representatives.

New York City Correction Department records indicated that Weinstein, aged 72, is currently at the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward.

Weinstein’s health problems are extensive. He has diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal stenosis, and fluid on his heart and lungs. Recently, he tested positive for COVID-19 and developed double pneumonia, stated publicist Juda Engelmayer, citing Craig Rothfeld, Weinstein’s authorized representative and prison consultant.

In February 2020, Weinstein was found guilty of rape charges by Manhattan jurors. However, the New York Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in April. The court ruled that Weinstein did not receive a fair trial because the judge improperly allowed testimony from accusers Weinstein was not formally charged with assaulting.

Weinstein has been hospitalized at Bellevue multiple times while maintaining his innocence. He denies any wrongdoing and claims that all sexual encounters were consensual.

A retrial on the rape charges in Manhattan could occur as early as September. Weinstein’s legal team has expressed their desire to proceed swiftly.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office plan to press charges for “additional violent sexual assaults” following new testimonies from more women.

Weinstein’s conviction was a significant moment for the #MeToo movement, which saw women accusing hundreds of men in various sectors—such as entertainment, media, and politics—of sexual misconduct.

A jury found that Weinstein sexually assaulted former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006 and raped aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013, for which he received a 23-year prison sentence.

In a separate rape trial in California, Weinstein was also sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Source: Reuters