How Harvey Weinstein Feels After His 2020 Rape Conviction Was Overturned
Harvey Weinstein is “thrilled” that the New York Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned his 2020 rape conviction, his publicist Juda Engelmayer tells Inside Edition Digital.
The Reversal of Harvey Weinstein’s Conviction and What It Means
In a narrow victory for the convicted rapist, the panel of judges agreed with the defense team’s argument that the judge’s decision to allow three women who alleged they were victims of Weinstein to testify at the trial along with the three female complainants in the case prevented Weinstein from getting a fair trial.
Errors Made in Harvey Weinstein’s Trial
The majority of the panel highlighted two “egregious errors” made by the trial judge. Firstly, the admission of testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes. This included the testimony of Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff, and Lauren Young. Secondly, the judge allowed defendant Weinstein to be cross-examined about prior alleged bad acts and despicable behavior, which had no relevance to his credibility in court.
The Sentencing and Convictions
Back in February 2020, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted of criminal sexual assault in the first degree and rape in the third degree. Additionally, a five-judge panel from the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department upheld that verdict in June 2022.
Weinstein’s Future Legal Battles
Following the verdict in New York, Weinstein faced a second criminal hearing in Los Angeles, resulting in convictions on three of the 11 counts. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison for these offenses, to be served after his New York sentence. Currently, Weinstein is focused on appealing the verdict in his Los Angeles case and facing potential charges in London for indecent assault against a woman.
The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein gained fame in the late ’90s when he co-founded Miramax Pictures. However, his career took a turn in 2017 with the emergence of harassment allegations reported by publications like The New York Times and New Yorker. Several actresses, including Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, and Julia Ormond, came forward with accusations ranging from misconduct to violence. His second wife, Georgina Chapman, filed for divorce amidst the scandal, and further allegations surfaced in publications and books like Ronan Farrow’s “Catch and Kill.”