Harvey Weinstein to Appear in NYC Court for Upcoming Retrial Hearing

Harvey Weinstein is set to appear in a New York court this Friday in advance of a planned retrial on rape and sexual assault charges.

The pretrial hearing in Manhattan criminal court will focus on issues related to evidence, including text messages.

During a hearing last week, prosecutors mentioned that they expect a retrial to take place in November. They informed Judge Curtis Farber that they are still actively pursuing new claims against Weinstein. However, the prosecutors acknowledged that they haven’t yet presented any findings to a grand jury.

Weinstein’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, contended that this continued investigation is merely a tactic to delay proceedings.

Earlier this year, New York’s highest court overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction, arguing that the original trial judge unfairly permitted testimony based on unrelated allegations.

This conviction had been seen as a milestone for the #MeToo movement, which began in 2017 amid numerous accusations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein, the once influential studio boss behind hit films like “Pulp Fiction” and “Shakespeare in Love.”

Weinstein had been convicted of third-degree rape for an attack on an aspiring actress and for forcing himself on a TV and film production assistant in 2006. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Prosecutors have indicated that Jessica Mann, one of the accusers in that case, is prepared to testify again against Weinstein. Gloria Allred, who represents Mimi Haley, the second accuser, said last week that her client hadn’t yet decided whether to participate in the retrial.

The Associated Press generally does not identify individuals alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named, as both Haley and Mann have done.

Weinstein, now 72, is currently incarcerated on Rikers Island. Aidala has stated that Weinstein suffers from diabetes, macular degeneration, and fluid in his lungs and heart. The lawyer has also complained that Weinstein is not receiving adequate medical care in jail.

In addition to his legal troubles in New York, Weinstein was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 on another rape charge and was sentenced to 16 years in prison in California. Last month, his lawyers filed an appeal in California, stating that he did not receive a fair trial in that case.