A New York court has overturned a 2020 ruling that found disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein guilty of rape in a shocking reversal.
Weinstein, 72, was at the center of a media firestorm after numerous women accused him of sexual assault, ushering in the #MeToo era.
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A New York court has overturned a 2020 conviction of rape against Harvey Weinstein, 72, in a stunning reversalCredit: Getty
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Weinstein was seen outside a New York court where prosecutors called witnesses who had nothing to do with the allegations against him, judges ruled ThursdayCredit: AP
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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, who is working on the trial of former President Donald Trump, will decide whether to seek a retrialCredit: Reuters
On Thursday, a New York appeals court ruled that Weinstein did not receive a fair trial in a stunning 4-3 decision.
The majority said the verdict had to be overturned because prosecutors called multiple women as witnesses who made accusations against Weinstein that had nothing to do with his allegations.
The testimony “destroyed” Weinstein’s past character and the “outrageous” improper convictions were an “abuse of judicial discretion,” the judges said.
The bombshell decision raised concerns about whether more high-profile sexual assault cases will be appealed — especially after actor Bill Cosby suffered a similar reversal in the #MeToo era in 2021.
Defiant New York Judge Madeline Singas condemned Thursday’s decision and said there was a “disturbing trend of overturning jury convictions in cases involving sexual violence.”
Despite the incredible turnaround, Weinstein, who served a now-expired 23-year sentence in a New York prison, will remain behind bars.
That’s because a Los Angeles court convicted him of breaking into a Beverly Hills hotel room and raping an Italian model in 2022, and sentenced him to 16 years in prison.
It is not clear whether Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, who is leading the historic trial against former President Donald Trump, will decide to seek a retrial for Weinstein.
However, a spokesman for his office “will do everything in our power” to bring him back to court.
Meanwhile, Weinstein’s representatives said they were “thrilled” with the decision and wanted to repeat the process in Los Angeles, Inside Edition Digital reported.
His lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, said Weinstein will appeal the verdict in California on May 20 and that jurors were “overwhelmed by this bad character that is not legitimate.”
“It spoiled the whole trial in California from our perspective,” she told Agence France-Presse.
Harvey Weinstein pleads for mercy as disgraced movie mogul sentenced to 16 more years on rape charges
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DISTURBING ALLEGATIONS
More than 100 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since the bombshell report thrust him into the center of controversy and creepiness.
The New York Times published the first story in October 2017 detailing decades of sickening abuse allegedly suffered by young actresses like Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd.
The women alleged that Weinstein took advantage of young hopefuls with promises of success before sexually assaulting them in a twisted scheme.
Days after the Times broke the story, Weinstein was fired from his own production company, and more women came forward with harrowing stories of alleged abuse.
His case opened a sea of dismissals in the entertainment industry after allegations surfaced against media executives and personalities.
Mass layoffs and cancellations have sometimes drawn criticism as observers questioned whether the allegations were properly investigated.
SHOCK TRIAL
Weinstein was first arrested in May 2018 in New York after he was indicted for allegedly assaulting actress Jessica Mann in 2013.
During the trial, Mann, who was in a five-year relationship with Weinstein, gave a raw testimony detailing every assault she allegedly suffered at his hands.
She portrayed Weinstein as a monster with “deformed” genitalia that made him look “intersex,” and said he had a back covered in blackheads and extreme scarring that made his skin appear rough.
Will Weinstein stay in prison?
On Thursday, a New York appeals court ruled that Weinstein did not receive a fair trial in a stunning 4-3 decision.
This overturned a 2020 rape conviction that sentenced Weinstein to 23 years in prison.
A spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney said the office “will do everything in our power to retry Weinstein.”
Weinstein is currently serving time in an upstate New York prison.
He won’t be free anytime soon, though.
This is because in 2022 a court in Los Angeles found him guilty of rape and sentenced him to 16 years in prison.
She added in the sensational trial that Weinstein had a body odor that made him “smell like poop.”
However, she also admitted that the two had consensual sex, which makes rape harder to prove.
“Rape is not just one moment of penetration,” she told the court at the time.
“It’s forever.”
On February 24, 2020, a jury of seven women and six men found Weinstein guilty of third-degree rape and criminal sexual assault.
Although he was acquitted of the two most serious charges – rape in the first degree and predatory sexual assault.
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Weinstein’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, is seen making a statement at a hearing before Thursday’s rulingCredit: New York State Court of Appeals
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Weinstein is seen in a correctional facility in Buffalo in 2021 where he is serving his sentence Credit: AP
THE ACCUSATORS ARE SPEAKING
Weinstein’s accusers expressed shock and frustration at Thursday’s decision.
One of the devastated women was actress Katherine Kendall, who had previously accused Weinstein of sexual assault in 2017.
Katherine Kendall then claimed that Weinstein invited her to his apartment after they attended a screening together in 1993.
Weinstein allegedly asked her to come inside so he could grab something, only to go into his bathroom and come out completely naked, the actress claims.
Prosecutors could testify again
High-profile attorney Gloria Allred said her former client Mimi Haley could testify again if Weinstein faces a new trial.
In a statement obtained exclusively by The US Sun, Allred, who represented Haley during Weinstein’s 2020 trial, ripped Thursday’s decision.
“While the process of testifying has been arduous and retraumatizing for Mimi, she reaffirmed to me today that she would consider testifying again if District Attorney Alvin Bragg decides to proceed with a new trial against Harvey Weinstein,” Allred said.
“I commend Mimi for her courage and willingness to continue to stand up for the truth.”
A prominent attorney condemned Thursday’s ruling, saying, “Today’s decision by the New York Court of Appeals is a significant step back for the ‘Me Too’ movement in New York criminal cases.
“The decision means that it will be more difficult to convict those who victimize women and rob them.
“As a result, fewer prosecutions will be brought against sexual predators and many will escape the justice they deserve.
“Although the victims lost this battle, they did not lose the war.
“We will continue to fight for justice for victims in both criminal and civil cases until there is a fair trial not only for the accused but also for those who claim to be the victims of sexual predators.”
Kendall said escaping the supposed horror situation was like a sick game of “cat and mouse.”
The actress said Thursday that the decision was “a terrible reminder that victims of sexual assault simply do not get justice.”
“Right now I’m completely let down by the justice system. I’m kind of stunned,” she told reporters.
Judd, the first actress to come forward with allegations against Weinstein, also shared her reaction to the news.
“It’s not fair to the survivors,” she told the Times.
“We still live in our truth. And we know what happened.”
Weinstein pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence during the trial.
He also denies ever having sex without consent.
The Hollywood executive is still fighting the allegations, as English actress Julia Ormond filed a lawsuit in October 2023 claiming Weinstein sexually assaulted her in December 1995.
With the decision of the court in Los Angeles, Weinstein will probably remain in prison for the rest of his life.
How Weinstein started the #MeToo movement
In October 2017, The New York Times published a bombshell article in which a number of actresses claimed to have been molested by Harvey Weinstein.
Soon after, actress Alyssa Milano asked women who had been sexually assaulted or harassed to share the words “Me Too” on social media.
The request soon became a movement, with actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lawrence and Uma Thurman all sharing their poignant stories.
It was later revealed that “Me Too” first used Taran Burke’s activity in 2006 to describe her sexual assault.
The media firestorm has led to many media executives losing their positions, with backlash over whether the allegations were properly investigated.
Weinstein remained at the center of it all and was one of the few to receive criminal charges.
A high-profile executive who produced films such as Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love and The Lord of the Rings, the activist was seen as the perfect representation of how power and influence can be used for evil.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn