In a brief hearing today in the Manhattan Criminal Courts building, officials from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced their intention to retry Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie producer who was convicted in 2020 on first-degree sexual assault and third-degree rape charges. The hearing, which lasted less than 20 minutes, was the first since Weinstein’s 2020 conviction was overturned last week by the New York State Appeals Court.
Prosecutors told the court that they still believe in the strength of their case and are committed to seeking justice for the victims. “It was a strong case in 2020 and it remains a strong case in 2024,” Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg said. Weinstein was present in the courtroom, sitting in a wheelchair, as his legal team proclaimed his innocence once again.
Weinstein’s lead attorney, Arthur Aidala, also addressed the court, stating that his client’s “life is on the line” and expressing his satisfaction with the prosecutor’s decision to seek a speedy trial. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for May 29, and Weinstein is expected to be present.
During the hearing, the 72-year-old former movie mogul looked noticeably gaunt and frail as he was wheeled into the courtroom surrounded by heavily armed police. Still, he was wearing a blazer with the price tag still attached, which was quickly removed by the time he was seated at the defense table.
The intention of today’s hearing was to re-arrange Weinstein on the sex crimes charges for which he was originally arrested in 2018. However, due to his 2020 conviction and 23-year sentence in a separate sexual assault case in Los Angeles, Weinstein will not be released after today’s hearing. Instead, he will be returned to Bellevue Hospital where he has been under medical supervision since the weekend.
The Appeals Court’s decision last week to overturn Weinstein’s 2020 conviction was based on the inclusion of uncharged accusations by several women in the trial, which was deemed prejudicial by the majority of judges. However, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has remained steadfast in its commitment to seeking justice for the victims, and they will be retrying the case as soon as September if a spot on the court calendar becomes available.
Weinstein’s legal team has also indicated that they will be appealing his 2020 conviction in Los Angeles, where he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. However, there is no expectation that Weinstein will be transferred to California in the near future.
Weinstein’s victims, including Mimi Haley and Jessica Mann, were also present in the courtroom. Mann, who testified at the 2020 trial, was pointed out by Assistant District Attorney Blumberg as a sign of her commitment to seeing justice served. Weinstein’s legal team has not yet stated whether they will be calling her as a witness in the retrial.
Notably absent from the hearing was former President Donald Trump, whose high-profile trial over hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels has been taking place in the same courthouse. The atmosphere around the building, often chaotic during the Trump trial, was subdued as all eyes were on Weinstein and his legal team.
With a new trial looming in New York and an appeal in Los Angeles, Weinstein’s legal battles continue. In addition to the criminal cases, he also faces numerous civil lawsuits from women who have accused him of sexual assault and harassment over several decades. As he awaits the next steps in his legal journey, Weinstein remains under heavy guard and medical supervision at Bellevue Hospital.
