The New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state of New York, has overturned film producer Harvey Weinstein's rape convictions.
The Associated Press reported that the NY Court of Appeals overturned the rape convictions on Thursday after it was discovered the judge presiding over Weinstein's trial had shown prejudice by allowing women to testify about allegations that were not part of the case. The court is ordering a new trial for Weinstein with the convictions overturned.
Weinstein's legal issues began in 2017 after the emergence of a series of sexual abuse allegations dating back to the 70s. As a result, in 2018, Weinstein's movie studio, The Weinstein Company, announced it had filed for bankruptcy. Just three months later, Weinstein was arrested and charged with rape after he surrendered himself to the authorities.
In 2020, Weinstein was convicted of first-degree sexual assault and third-degree rape with a sentence of 23 years, which he is currently serving at the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome, NY. Though the convictions were overturned, Weinstein is to remain in prison because a Los Angeles court convicted the disgraced film producer of rape in 2022. That separate trial carried a 16-year sentence.
Weinstein's sexual abuse allegations sparked a social media campaign called the #MeToo movement, resulting in other victims coming forward to make allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct against men, particularly those in Hollywood.
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Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
