Harvey Weinstein, the former film producer, may face a retrial on rape charges in Manhattan on November 12, as a judge has set a tentative trial date during a court hearing. Judge Curtis Farber has also expressed openness to an earlier start date in September depending on the progress of pretrial discovery. Weinstein’s defense team is eager to proceed as soon as possible.
Weinstein, who is 72 years old, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claims that he never engaged in non-consensual sexual encounters with anyone. In February 2020, jurors in Manhattan found him guilty of rape charges. However, his conviction was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals in April due to concerns about the fairness of his trial. The court ruled that testimony from accusers who were not formally charged with assault should not have been allowed.
During last week’s court proceedings, prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office revealed their intention to charge Weinstein with “additional violent sexual assaults” after more women agreed to testify against him. The identities of these new accusers have not been disclosed publicly, and prosecutors are seeking to keep certain evidence confidential while they prepare for a new grand jury indictment.
Judge Farber announced that he will appoint a special magistrate to mediate any disputes regarding discovery between the parties involved as they examine new evidence before the retrial.
In his previous trial, Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting Miriam Haley, a former production assistant in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, an aspiring actress in 2013. These two women are among over 80 individuals who have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Weinstein is currently serving a prison sentence of 23 years and is being held at Rikers Island jail in New York City pending his retrial. He was also sentenced separately to 16 years following another rape trial conducted in California; however, this conviction remains unaffected by the decision made by New York courts.
Miramax Films co-founder Harvey Weinstein produced several successful movies such as “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” However, his film studio filed for bankruptcy back in March 2018.
