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Why is Harvey Weinstein in hospital?
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers said the former movie mogul needs “a lot of physical help” and is undergoing several tests.
Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been hospitalized just two days after news broke that his rape conviction would be overturned in New York.
In March 2020, Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of committing a first-degree sexual act against production assistant Mimi Haley, which occurred in 2006. He was also found guilty of third-degree rape against Jessica Mann, which happened in 2013.
On both counts, Weinstein, who pleaded not guilty and waived his right to testify as a witness, was sentenced to 23 years in New York State Prison.
Why is Harvey Weinstein in hospital? Can he go back to prison?
Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, noted that he had been admitted to the hospital for a series of tests.
“They examined him and sent him to Bellevue,” Aidala told The Associated Press. “He’s got a lot of problems, he’s getting all kinds of tests. He’s somewhat of a train wreck health wise.”
Separately, New York City Department of Corrections spokesman Frank Dwyer told The Hollywood Reporter that Weinstein remains in custody while in the hospital.
According to a report from NBC News, Weinstein was transferred from the Mohawk Correctional Center to a medical room at Rikers in New York City on Friday. He is scheduled to appear before a judge after the Court of Appeals overturned his conviction.
Why was Harvey Weinstein’s conviction overturned?
On Thursday, the New York Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein’s conviction after determining that the trial judge allowed testimony from accusers who hadn’t pressed charges against Weinstein.
As a result, a new trial will have to be held.
“The only evidence against defendant was the complainants’ testimony, and the result of the court’s rulings, on the one hand, was to bolster their credibility and diminish defendant’s character before the jury,” the decision read. “On the other hand, the threat of a cross-examination highlighting these untested allegations undermined defendant’s right to testify.”
Although the conviction was overturned, Weinstein remained in prison. The annulment of the conviction took place in New York. However, Weinstein must still serve a 16-year sentence for the sexual assault charges he faced in California.