Prosecutors are investigating other “violent sexual assaults” allegedly committed by former Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, a prosecutor said Tuesday (9).
She also stressed that she intends to seek a new charge after a previous conviction is overturned.
Prosecutor Nicole Blumberg told a hearing before Judge Curtis Farber in a New York state court in Manhattan that the other assaults allegedly committed by Weinstein are still within the statute of limitations to be charged as crimes.
Weinstein was found guilty of rape in 2020, marking a milestone for the #MeToo movement, in which women have accused hundreds of men in entertainment, media, politics and other fields of sexual crimes.
Relive Weinstein’s conviction
A jury found that the 72-year-old co-founder of the Miramax film studio sexually assaulted former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006 and raped aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.
They are among more than 80 women who have accused him of sexual crimes.
Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison, but the New York Court of Appeals in April found that Judge James Burke, who presided over the trial, had seriously erred in allowing three women to testify about alleged sexual assaults committed by the producer that were not part of the criminal charges against him.
The court said the testimony about prior acts violated his right to a fair trial.
Weinstein has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone. Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s lawyer, said Tuesday it was unfair for prosecutors to try to add other victims to the case after the conviction was overturned.
The former mogul is experiencing a series of medical issues while being held in solitary confinement at New York’s Rikers Island prison, according to Aidala.
He accused prosecutors of using delaying tactics to keep Weinstein locked up, which Blumberg denied.
“As we said in 2020, there were women who were not ready to proceed with the legal process. Some of those women are now ready to proceed,” the prosecutor explained.
Weinstein was also sentenced to 16 years in prison after another rape trial in California. That conviction was not affected by the New York court’s ruling, and he has not yet begun serving the California sentence.
Miramax’s hit films include “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” Weinstein’s eponymous film studio filed for bankruptcy in March 2018.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
