New York Grand Jury Convenes for Possible New Charges Against Weinstein

Prosecutors in Manhattan have begun the process of presenting evidence to a grand jury that may result in a new indictment against Harvey Weinstein as early as Friday. This potential indictment relates to an alleged sexual assault that is said to have occurred between late 2005 and mid-2006 in a residential building in lower Manhattan, according to transcripts from a recent unannounced court hearing.

In addition to this case, prosecutors revealed during a Tuesday hearing that they are looking into two other alleged incidents involving Weinstein. One of these incidents is a sexual assault that reportedly took place in May 2016 at a hotel in Tribeca, while another potential offense occurred at the Tribeca Grand Hotel.

While the district attorney’s office has informed the defense of these potential offenses, it’s important to note that this notification does not ensure what specific charges will appear in any new indictment. The grand jury’s session is set to conclude on Friday, which means prosecutors may present potential charges for a vote shortly thereafter.

A representative from the Manhattan district attorney’s office refrained from making any comments regarding the ongoing proceedings.

Weinstein’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, suggested during the hearing that Weinstein is contemplating testifying before the grand jury himself. Aidala remarked, “Mr. Weinstein is very, very seriously considering going – wheeling himself into the grand jury and letting the grand jurors see what he looks like these days.”

Despite the serious accusations against him, Weinstein has consistently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that any sexual encounters he had were consensual.

In a significant legal development, the New York Court of Appeals, in a closely contested 4-3 decision, overturned Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction. He currently remains incarcerated at Rikers Island as he awaits the outcome of an appeal regarding another conviction from Los Angeles.

This past summer, the Manhattan district attorney’s office indicated its plan to retry Weinstein, disclosing that they had engaged in discussions with additional alleged victims whose testimonies were not included in the original trial.

The retrial is presently slated for this fall.