A New York appeals court has overturned former powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 r-pe conviction from the #MeToo trial. The court observed that while giving the verdict, the judge was biased against Weinstein.
Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 R-pe Conviction Overturned
Harvey Weinstein. Image Credit: Thomas Hawk/CC
A New York appeals court on Thursday, in a 4-3 decision overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 r-pe conviction. He has been serving a 23-year sentence in a New York prison after he was convicted of a criminal act.
“[Weinstein] was convicted by a jury for various sexual crimes against three named complainants and, on appeal, claims that he was judged, not on the conduct for which he was indicted, but on irrelevant, prejudicial, and untested allegations of prior bad acts,” read the verdict.
“We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes … the remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial,” it continued.
However, the Oscar-winning producer of Shakespeare in Love and Good Will Hunting will remain imprisoned as he was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another r-pe and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s lawyer, has told The Associated Press that “this is a tremendous victory for every criminal defendant in the state of New York.”
This is for the second time major #MeToo setback in the last two years following the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to hear an appeal of a Pennsylvania court decision to throw out Bill Cosby’s s-xual assault conviction.
What is Harvey Weinstein Accused of?
Harvey Weinstein. Image Credit: Screengrab/BBC/YouTube
Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood tycoon was found guilty of r-pe in the third degree, but also acquitted on the two most serious criminal charges, that began the landmark trial of the #MeToo era.
The jury in New York convicted Weinstein of third-degree r-pe of Jessica Mann, as well as a count of criminal s-xual act in the first degree against Mimi Haley, a former “Project Runway” production assistant. Some other famous actresses such as Ashley Judd and Uma Thurman also came forward to accuse Weinstein. More than 80 women have accused the Oscar-winning producer.
In July 2021, Weinstein appeared in court in a wheelchair and pleaded not guilty to r-pe and s-xual assault charges in a Los Angeles court. In 2022, Weinstein was found guilty by a Los Angeles jury of r-ping a woman. In 2023, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the 2013 r-pe of an actress in Los Angeles.
Weinstein still maintains his innocence. He contends any s-xual activity was consensual.
