(IntegrityTimes.com) – Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is facing more accusations of sexual misconduct as more alleged victims step forward.
Prosecutors in Manhattan have told a judge that they are assessing more claims made against the producer, which could lead to a fresh indictment against him before his retrial on sexual assault and rape charges. During a court hearing, Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg stated that more people had accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, and prosecutors are in the process of evaluating which claims fall under the statute of limitations. Blumberg said potential victims, who had not been comfortable with coming forward during the producer’s first New York trial, may now be ready to testify.
Weinstein’s 2020 conviction for rape was overturned in April 2024, when a New York appeals court ruled in a 4-3 decision that the 2020 decision prejudiced the producer with “egregious” verdicts and by allowing the testimonies of women whose accusations did not relate to the 2020 case. The verdict stated that the producer was judged on “untested” and “irrelevant” claims of previous “bad acts”.
Leading accuser and actress Ashley Judd described the decision as a “betrayal”. Judd was among several who came forward with sexual harassment claims against Weinstein in 2017. The MeToo movement’s founder, Tarana Burke, said she felt “devastated” for the alleged victims, but stressed that the ruling was not a “blow” to the cause. A week after the ruling was overturned, the Manhattan district attorney’s office announced that the producer will have a retrial, which is scheduled for some time after Labor Day.
According to Blumberg, prosecutors should be in a position by the end of June to provide the court with an update on the case. Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s lawyer, stated to reporters after the hearing that the producer was confident that the new claims would fail to strengthen the prosecution’s case. The lawyer claimed that his client “knows” he is not guilty of the alleged crimes. Over 100 women, including several actresses, have accused the producer of sex crimes since 2017.
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