Weinstein’s Rape Conviction Overturned by New York Court

(LibertySociety.com) – In a shocking ruling, an appeals court overturned Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction on April 25, which was the first step on his road to a retrial.

The highly successful film producer was set to spend 23 years in prison for forcing lewd activities on an industry assistant named Mimi Haley back in 2006. He was also convicted of third-degree rape of a female hairstylist named Jessica Mann, which occurred in 2013. He was acquitted of other charges during his trial, including three stemming from rape accusations by actress Annabella Sciorra.

The 4-3 appeals court ruling was based on the fact that the judge who presided over the trial allowed testimony from accusers whose claims were unrelated to the charges Weinstein was facing. His defense attorney, Donna Rotunno, told one media outlet that the court made the right decision. She argued that “courts cannot operate on emotion and lack of due process.” She made clear that if the justice system was not properly functioning, nothing else would be either.

Another accuser of Weinstein, actress Ashely Judd, held a press conference following the court’s decision. She claimed that the decision was “an act of institutional betrayal.” More than 100 women have accused Weinstein of misconduct since the first accusations in 2017. Actress Rose McGowan also accused Weinstein of promising young actresses a life of success before eventually wantonly abusing them.

On May 1, Weinstein appeared in court for a hearing over the potential retrial. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that the case would definitely be retried. Weinstein remained handcuffed while he was rolled into the courtroom in a wheelchair. Prosecutors pushed for a September retrial date, noting that they believed he would be found guilty again due to the strength of evidence in the case. Weinstein will appear in court again on May 29. Although he has been in the hospital since shortly after his transfer to Rikers Island, his physicians will decide where he will be sent next.