The 72-year-old, who was sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault, was transported in handcuffs and a wheelchair from a prison van into a Manhattan courthouse on Wednesday.
Weinstein, dressed in a navy blue suit with the tag still visible on his sleeve, was convicted in a New York case that shocked the entertainment industry and the world. However, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that Weinstein did not receive a fair trial, effectively erasing his 23-year prison sentence and ordering a retrial. The ruling concluded that the trial judge allowed jurors to see and hear too much evidence not directly related to the charges he faced.
Prosecutors have stated their intention to retry Weinstein on charges that he forcibly performed oral sex on a TV and film production assistant in 2006 and raped an aspiring actor in 2013. Following the overturning of his New York conviction, Weinstein reportedly cried tears of joy and maintained his innocence, according to his spokesperson.
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Weinstein has been serving his sentence in a New York jail for the two sex attacks against aspiring actress Jessica Mann and production assistant Mimi Haleyi. In addition to his New York sentence, a jury in Los Angeles found him guilty of three rape and sexual assault charges in 2022, adding a further 16 years to his sentence.
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During his incarceration, Weinstein has reportedly suffered from various health issues, including heart problems, mobility issues, and diabetes. Last week, he was taken to Bellevue Hospital in New York for a series of tests. His attorney, Arthur Aidala, stated that Weinstein was moved to the hospital following his arrival at Rikers Island. Aidala described Weinstein as a "train wreck health-wise," citing his numerous health problems.
Weinstein, once the most influential figure in Hollywood, produced hit films such as Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love through his film companies Miramax and The Weinstein Co. He dominated the Hollywood scene in the 1990s, winning 81 Oscars and becoming a part of the world elite, with close ties to figures such as Bill and Hillary Clinton.
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However, his fall from grace has been dramatic. The Weinstein Co. is now bankrupt, his wife Georgina Chapman has divorced him, and his empire lies in ruins. One of Weinstein's main accusers, Mimi Haleyi, has expressed uncertainty about whether she is prepared to testify again should the case be retried.
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The reversal of Weinstein's conviction marks the second significant setback for the #MeToo movement in the last two years, following the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to hear an appeal of a Pennsylvania court decision to overturn Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction.
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Weinstein's conviction was initially hailed as a landmark achievement by activists and advocates. However, it was quickly scrutinized by his lawyers and, later, the Court of Appeals when it heard arguments on the matter in February. New York State of Appeals Chief Judge Janet DiFiore ruled that Weinstein's appeal could proceed in 2022.
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Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, argued that women who were not part of the criminal allegations should not have been allowed to testify about alleged sex abuse by his client. He also claimed that one juror failed to disclose that they had previously written a book on sexual predators, which he argued should have disqualified them from serving.
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Weinstein has consistently denied the charges against him, insisting that his relations with the women were consensual. Over 80 women have accused the Oscar-winning producer of sexual assault and harassment. These allegations, first made public in a New York Times story in 2017, detailed decades of alleged abuse and sparked a significant shift in attitudes towards sexual misconduct in the workplace. Actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd were among those named in the piece as accusers.
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