The New York Supreme Court overturned the verdict against the American film producer on Thursday Harvey Weinstein on. The 72-year-old was found guilty of raping several women four years ago, and his conviction was considered the country’s greatest triumph MeToo movement.
As the New York Times According to reports, four of the seven highest judges voted to overturn the verdict. They criticize a blatant procedural error: the judge in charge at the time is said to have allowed the public prosecutor to call women to the witness stand whose allegations were not part of the original indictment. The statements of these women clearly influenced the jury, so the trial was not fair to Weinstein.
Weinstein remains in prison for the time being
Weinstein, who was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood at the time of his conviction as one of the most successful film producers, was already considered guilty in public before his conviction – because more than 100 women had already accused him of sexually abusing or raping them. The case really got the Metoo movement rolling, in which women around the world made their experiences of abuse public and denounced perpetrators.
Legal experts, it is said, gave Weinstein a good chance in the event of a challenge immediately after his conviction. The New York Supreme Court, it should be noted, is majority female.
But Thursday’s decision does not mean that Weinstein is free. In addition to his 2020 conviction, which has now been overturned, a court in The Angels In another case, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison – also for rape. Weinstein should therefore be from Maximum security prison in Rome (New York) to be relocated to a Californian one. But an appeal process is also ongoing in this case.
The responsible public prosecutor is currently in the middle of proceedings against Donald Trump
Now the Manhattan District Attorney must Alvin Bragg, decide whether the criminal proceedings against Weinstein will be reopened. But the case ends up on his desk at the wrong time: Bragg is currently in the middle of criminal proceedings against the former US president Donald Trumpwho is accused of being a porn actress Stormy Daniels Having paid hush money to increase his chances in the 2016 presidential election campaign.
Weinstein himself has not yet responded to Thursday’s developments. “It only happened 10 minutes ago, he doesn’t know about it yet,” his lawyer explained Arthur Aidala immediately after the verdict was overturned in Manhattan. In any case, the decision is “not just a victory for Mr. Weinstein, but for every defendant in New York. We congratulate the Supreme Court for upholding the most fundamental principles.”
The reaction of those who accuse Weinstein of abuse is completely different: “Today is a disheartening and shocking day for all survivors of sexual assault,” said Jane Manning, chairwoman of the NGO Women’s Equal Justice Project, which collected allegations against Weinstein.