A New York judge has tentatively scheduled Harvey Weinstein’s retrial for 12 November, following the overturning of his rape conviction in April.
During a hearing on Friday, New York State Supreme Court Judge Curtis Farber indicated that he might consider starting the trial earlier, as requested by Weinstein’s lawyers.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has announced plans to file “additional violent sexual assault” charges against Weinstein, with new accusers agreeing to testify. These new accusers have not yet been publicly identified.
Weinstein, 72, who is currently held at New York City’s Rikers Island jail, attended the court hearing in a wheelchair, dressed in a dark suit, blue tie, and thick-framed eyeglasses. He was seen carrying a brown folder. The hearing faced a delay of over an hour due to a global software outage affecting Microsoft computers.
In 2020, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison. However, his conviction was overturned in April after a court of appeals ruled that the judge in his original trial allowed testimony from women whose allegations were not part of the charges. Weinstein was also found guilty of rape in a separate California trial and sentenced to 16 years in prison for that case.
Weinstein has faced accusations of sexual misconduct, assault, and rape from over 100 women. His conviction in New York played a significant role in galvanising the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse by powerful men.
Weinstein co-founded Miramax film studio, known for producing hits like “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” His films have received over 300 Oscar nominations and 81 awards.
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