By Balzano tasting
Sep 12, 2024, 4:47 PM EDT
Harvey Weinstein will face new charges, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office announced during a hearing on Thursday.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Prosecutors have presented evidence to a grand jury that could include as many as three new sexual assault allegations against the famed former Hollywood producer.The allegations come ahead of his new trial, following the overturning of his previous rape conviction in New York by an appeals court in April this year.
Weinstein, 72, was unable to attend the hearing due to his recent heart surgery. He is currently recovering at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, and it is not yet clear whether he will be able to attend his next hearing.
Details of the new accusations
As reported by CNN, prosecutors began presenting a case to the grand jury in mid-August. While the names of the three accusers were not revealed, their allegations were laid out during last week’s hearing.
One of the incidents was alleged to have occurred at a residential building in lower Manhattan during the winter of 2005-2006. Another accuser alleges she was sexually assaulted at a Tribeca hotel in May 2016.
Besides, A third woman has said Weinstein sexually assaulted her at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, according to court recordsAccording to a source familiar with the case, the alleged assault took place in 2006.
Statements from Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer
This month, NBC News exclusively revealed that a grand jury had been formed to hear from women who had come forward with new allegations against Weinstein.
Weinstein’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, said the legal team is prepared to face any charges that may be brought, although he admitted that they do not have clear details about the new accusations. “We don’t know what the exact accusations are, the exact locations or the exact times.”Aidala said. The indictment remains under seal until next week, when Weinstein is scheduled to be arraigned.
The former producer’s defense has requested that the new charges be handled separately from the previous case, while the prosecution wants to combine the new evidence with the original case. Weinstein’s trial is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 12, but the parties are still arguing over how to proceed with the new evidence presented.
The development of the Weinstein case
In 2020, Weinstein was convicted of sexual crimes in New York and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
However, the appeals court overturned his conviction, arguing that testimony from women not directly connected to the case was allowed, which affected the fairness of the trial. Despite this reversal, Weinstein is still serving a 16-year sentence in California for another series of sexual crimes.
Weinstein’s impact on Hollywood was immense before his fall from grace, and Her case was fundamental in the emergence of the #MeToo movement, which sought to make visible the abuses of power in various industries..
Continue reading:
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- Harvey Weinstein found guilty of rape in Los Angeles trial
- Harvey Weinstein: Former Hollywood producer sentenced to another 16 years in prison for sexual crimes despite his pleas for clemency