Harvey Weinstein retrial on rape and sexual assault charges set for November 12
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is expected to be retried on sex crimes charges on November 12.
Weinstein, 72, appeared for a hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday as prosecutors prepare to retry him following the reversal of his 2020 rape conviction earlier this year.
The judge said on Friday that he was open to an earlier trial date in Septemberm depending on how long the grand jury process takes. The ex-producer’s attorneys said they want to move as soon as possible.
Last week, prosecutors accused Weinstein of raping more women than those who were part of his earlier prosecution. He was found guilty of rape charges in February 2020 but his conviction was overturned in April. More alleged victims came forward after the conviction was overturned.
Prosecutors told the judge, Curtis Farber, that they’re still reviewing those claims, and plan to present the story of at least one of the alleged victims to a grand jury, ABC News reported.
Weinstein, who was initially sentenced to 23 years in prison, has denied all claims of sexual crimes against him. His legal team has shared their doubts regarding any new alleged victims.
In April, a New York Court of Appeals ruled that the previous trial judge had “erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes.”
The court added that the testimony “served no material non-propensity purpose” and that it showed Weinstein “in a highly prejudicial light.”
The appeals court found that Weinstein didn’t get a fair trial because the judge allowed testimony from witnesses that Weinstein hadn’t been formally charged with assaulting.
The office of the Manhattan District Attorney