Harvey Weinstein granted appeal for New York conviction
Former film producer – and convicted rapist – Harvey Weinstein has won the right to appeal his New York conviction for sex crimes, over two years since the verdict took place.
In February 2020, the former Hollywood bigwig was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being found guilty of at least four counts of rape and sexual assault. The 70-year-old was convicted for allegedly committing a criminal sexual act in the first-degree and third-degree rape.
Prior to the latest developments, a lower court had declined Weinstein’s appeal, but this has now been overruled.
Weinstein’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, has since stated that his client is grateful for the decision. “We are hopeful the entire court will find that Mr. Weinstein did not receive a fair trial and reverse his conviction,” Aidala said.
Weinstein issued a statement through a spokesman claiming to be innocent of all charges against him. “I am so grateful to my attorneys for working hard and smart on this,” he said. “Their hard work will help me prove my innocence in the end.”
Weinstein’s legal team claims that several witnesses were allowed to testify even though there were no charges detailing Weinstein’s activities with them. If his sentence is overturned, it’s possible he could be released on bail.
For now, Weinstein remains in prison at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles on separate sex crime charges from his various accusations over the past five years.
Last year it was confirmed that over 50 women who have accused the disgraced film producer of sexual misconduct would share a $17million (£12.4million) payout.
Elsewhere, Hollywood filmstar Kevin Spacey has been ordered to pay the House of Cards creators nearly $31m (£25m) of losses after he was fired from the Netflix series in 2017 due to ongoing sexual harassment allegations.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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