The 2020 conviction of former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein for sexual assault and rape has been overturned by New York’s highest court. The decision, announced on Thursday, has reopened the landmark case that sparked the #MeToo movement.
The state Court of Appeals ruled 4-3 that the trial judge made a critical error by allowing women to testify that Weinstein assaulted them, even though their accusations were not part of the charges he faced. This, they said, impacted Weinstein’s decision not to testify in his own defense, reported Reuters.
The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has indicated plans to retry Weinstein. “The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial,” Judge Jenny Rivera wrote for the majority.
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Many of Weinstein’s accusers, including actress Ashley Judd, have condemned the decision, calling it “an act of institutional betrayal.” Weinstein’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, however, described the decision as “a great day for America.”
Despite the overturned conviction, Weinstein, who is currently serving a 23-year sentence in a prison in upstate Rome, New York, is not expected to be released immediately. He still faces a separate 16-year prison term in California for a 2013 rape conviction.
Photo Courtesy: Lev Radin on Shutterstock.com
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