Harvey Weinstein faces a new rape and sexual assault trial in New York, nearly a year after his 2020 conviction was overturned, marking a key test of progress in the post-#MeToo era.
Harvey Weinstein’s retrial on charges of rape and sexual assault began on Wednesday in Manhattan, nearly a year after New York’s highest court overturned his 2020 conviction. The 73-year-old, who arrived in a wheelchair wearing a dark suit and navy tie, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree criminal sexual act and one count of third-degree rape.
Weinstein’s previous conviction was widely seen as a landmark moment for the #MeToo movement, as over 100 women—including well-known actresses—had come forward with allegations of misconduct. The former Hollywood producer and Miramax studio co-founder has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
The new trial, overseen by state Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber, is expected to last around six weeks. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg attended the opening day of the proceedings.
“We're hoping that Mr. Weinstein is going to get a fair trial this time,” said his attorney Imran Ansari. “He wants to clear his name.”
In 2020, a separate jury found Weinstein guilty of raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013 and of sexually assaulting former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison. However, the New York Court of Appeals ruled in April 2024 that the trial judge had erred by allowing testimony from additional women whose claims were not part of the formal charges, prompting the retrial.
The prosecution has now added a new charge, accusing Weinstein of assaulting an unidentified woman in Manhattan in 2006, in addition to the charges involving Haley and Mann.
Even if acquitted in New York, Weinstein is expected to remain imprisoned, having been sentenced to 16 years for sex crimes in California.
Weinstein's lawyers are petitioning the court to allow him to stay at Manhattan’s Bellevue Hospital throughout the trial, citing inadequate medical care at Rikers Island jail and his recent emergency heart surgery.
Lindsay Goldbrum, representing the new accuser, said the case is a critical moment in the broader fight against sexual violence. “More than seven years after #MeToo, this case will test how far we’ve advanced in our collective understanding of sexual assault, power dynamics, and what it means to be a survivor,” she stated.
Weinstein’s downfall has also left lasting effects on his former film empire. His production studio filed for bankruptcy in March 2018, months after the allegations became public.
Donald Trump said he is “in no hurry” to reach a deal with Iran, insisting the U.S. is slowly getting what it wants. He warned military action rem...
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has secured a fourth successive election victory for his Labour Party, extending its hold on power, though with ...
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing h...
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Mya...
Thousands of residents blocked Austria’s Brenner motorway on Saturday (30 May), shutting down a major north-south transport route through the Alps i...
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
A centuries-old floral tradition is being prepared in the English village of Castleton, where the Garland King will lead a ceremonial procession through the Peak District wearing a large flower-covered structure weighing up to 40 kilograms.
The trial of a 21-year-old accused of planning an Islamist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna entered its final day on Thursday (28 May), with a verdict expected later in the evening.
Thousands of visitors flocked to Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau island on Sunday for the annual Bun Festival, as crowds gathered to watch the famous “floating children” parade and prepare for the traditional midnight bun-scrambling competition.
Spanish police in Catalonia have detained Jonathan Andic, the son of Mango fashion group founder Isak Andic, as part of an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding his father’s death in December 2024, authorities said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment