Harvey Weinstein is being investigated for “extra violent sexual assaults” months after a earlier conviction in New York was overturned, a court docket in Manhattan has heard.
Nicole Blumberg, an assistant district lawyer, advised Tuesday’s listening to that the alleged assaults fall inside the statute of limitations and may very well be charged as crimes.
The disgraced movie mogul, 72, is already going through a retrial after his 2020 conviction for sexual assault and rape was overturned in April on the premise that it was unfair.
“As we stated in 2020, there have been ladies who weren’t able to proceed with the authorized course of. A few of these ladies at the moment are able to proceed,” Ms Blumberg advised Tuesday’s listening to.
Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala advised the listening to that the brand new investigations have been a delay tactic, including: “As soon as once more now we have a hotline: 1-800 Get Harvey.”
Mr Aidala added that his consumer was affected by a bunch of medical issues whereas being held in solitary confinement at New York Metropolis’s Rikers Island jail.
Weinstein’s 2020 conviction was essential for the #MeToo motion, during which ladies accused a whole lot of males within the media of sexual misconduct.
The Miramax movie studio founder was sentenced to 23 years in jail for sexually assaulting manufacturing assistant Miriam Haley and raping actress Jessica Mann.
Nonetheless, the New York Court docket of Appeals in April discovered proof offered about Weinstein’s “prior unhealthy acts” from three witnesses unconnected to the costs in opposition to him violated the appropriate to a good trial.
Members of the #MeToo motion described the choice as “profoundly unjust”, whereas attorneys for his victims stated the choice to retry was a “leap backwards” and “tragic”.
A retrial has been scheduled to start after the Labour Day vacation on 2 September, although no specific date has been set. Ms Blumberg stated on Tuesday that prosecutors might realistically go to trial in November.
Weinstein was additionally convicted to 16 years following a separate rape trial in California. That conviction was not affected by the New York enchantment court docket’s choice, and he has not begun serving the California sentence.
Greater than 80 ladies have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. He denies all prices in opposition to him.
