Harvey Weinstein's New York Conviction Overturned by Appeals Court, New Trial Ordered
The historic conviction of Harvey Weinstein in New York, one of the many criminal cases the disgraced Hollywood executive faced, has been overturned by a New York appellate court. The conviction was one of the first cases in the #MeToo movement that served as a reckoning for powerful men who used their power to exploit women.
The case has not been completely thrown out, though, as while the ruling was overturned, the appeals court ruled that a new trial must now happen against the infamous former Hollywood executive and convicted sexual predator. As of writing, his conviction in the state of California still stands.
According to CNN, in a 4-3 vote, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that the testimony of "prior bad acts" should not have been allowed because it "was unnecessary to establish defendant's intent and served only to establish defendant's propensity to commit the crimes charged."
The 72-year-old disgraced Hollywood mogul previously served as the head of the Weinstein Company and was one of the most powerful men in all of Hollywood. He was convicted in 2020 of first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape, resulting in him being sentenced to 23 years in prison.
As for the retrial, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office is planning to retry the case, saying, "We will do everything in our power to retry this case and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault.
Harvey Weinstein Will Remain Imprisoned Despite New York Case Being Overturned
As for the fate of the former Hollywood executive, he will remain in prison. He is currently being held at the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome, New York, with the state's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision saying that it is currently reviewing the appeals court's decision.
PEOPLE Magazine reported that because of his 2022 convictions for sex crimes charges in California, Harvey Weinstein would not be walking away from prison as a free man anytime soon. In that California case, he was found guilty of one count of forcible rape, one count of forced oral copulation, and one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in that case.
What Happens to Harvey Weinstein Next After New York Conviction Was Overturned?
With the Manhattan DA vowing to retry the case, Weinstein is expected to return to court with a new judge and a new jury overseeing the case. This also means that Weinstein's accusers will have to be forced to retell their stories of the disgraced Hollywood mogul sexually assaulting them.
Weinstein has maintained that he did nothing wrong and that he is innocent of the charges of criminal sex acts involving forced oral sex on the women who worked for him, including a TV and film production assistant in 2006 and an aspiring actress. He continues to claim that these acts were all consensual, per the Associated Press.
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Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Harvey Weinstein's 2020 Conviction Overturned by Appeals Court - COURT TV