The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Harvey Weinstein, disgraced Hollywood producer, is set to appear in court on Wednesday for the first time since his New York conviction for rape and sexual assault was overturned.
Weinstein, 72, was pictured in a wheelchair and handcuffed being taken in a side entrance of the courthouse in lower Manhattan this afternoon.
The hearing is the first step in the path to a possible retrial of the case. Both the prosecutors and attorneys for Weinstein will be given a chance to address next steps in the case.
Arthur Aidala, an attorney for Weinstein arrived at the Manhattan courtroom around 2pm ET, when the hearing is scheduled to begin.
Weinstein was convicted in 2020 of raping and assaulting two women. Last week, New York’s court of appeals ruled that the judge in that case made “egregious errors” by allowing prosecutors to call witnesses whose testimony was not related to the charges being tried.
On Friday, Weinstein was transferred from his prison in upstate New York to Rikers Island jail ahead of the hearing. He was later taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan for ongoing tests as his health continues to decline, Mr Aidala, said.
“He’s got a lot of problems,” the attorney told reporters at a news conference. “He’s getting all kinds of tests. He’s somewhat of a train wreck healthwise.”
The movie mogul was also convicted in 2022 of raping a woman in California. He was scheduled to serve a 16-year prison sentence in the state once his 23-year New York sentence concluded. Now, his legal team is planning to appeal his California conviction.
The decision to overturn Weinstein’s New York conviction horrified the women who came forward against the movie mogul with revelations that would spark the #MeToo movement.
Ashley Judd, the first Hollywood actress to speak out against the producer, addressed last week’s ruling at a news conference.
“This is what it’s like to be a woman in America, living with male entitlement to our bodies”.
Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, a model who claimed Weinstein had groped her, criticized the latest decision and called on the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to retry the case.
“This is an ongoing failure of the justice system — and the courts — to take survivors seriously and protect our interests,” Ms Battilana Gutierrez wrote on Instagram.
While the latest judicial decision is final, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has vowed to “do everything in our power to retry this case”.
Last week, Mr Aidala said his client was “tried on his character, not the evidence”.
He added: “Today’s legal ruling is a great day for America.”
