KUALA LUMPUR – Once powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, 71, has had his convictions for sex crimes in New York overturned by the Court of Appeals there.
CNN reports that the court ordered a new trial in a 4-3 vote because of “errors” in the testimonies of witnesses against him during trial.
The testimonies were of “uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts” that were not part of the charges brought against Weinstein and “served no material non-propensity purpose”.
As such, Weinstein did not receive a fair trial, the appeals court judges ruled.
Weinstein was convicted in 2020 by a New York jury of assaulting two women and was sentenced to 23 years in prison. He is currently in a state prison there.
The appellate court’s ruling today, however, will not see him freed as he has also been convicted of rape and sexual assault in California, and he could be transferred there to serve out the 16-year sentence handed down by that state.
He may also be tried again in New York.
Allegations of rape and other sexual abuse brought against Weinstein in 2017 by numerous women including actresses, production assistants and women working in subordinate positions in the film industry.
This sparked the #MeToo movement which saw other victims of similar crimes speak up for the first time about experiences they were previously too scared to share. – April 25, 2024