New investigations against Harvey Weinstein for sexual assault in New York

A court in Manhattan has learned that Harvey Weinstein is being investigated for “further cases of sexual violence” just months after a previous conviction in New York was overturned.

Nicole Blumberg, an assistant district attorney, said at Tuesday’s hearing that the alleged assaults were statute-barred, but did not say when prosecutors would be prepared to file new charges.

The disgraced 72-year-old film mogul is already facing a retrial after his 2020 conviction for sexual assault and rape was overturned in April on the grounds that it was unjustified.

“As we said in 2020, there were women who were not ready to begin the legal process. Some of those women are now ready to proceed,” Ms Blumberg said at Tuesday’s hearing.

Weinstein’s Attorney Arthur Aidala said at the hearing that the new investigation was a delaying tactic, adding: “We have another hotline: 1-800 Get Harvey.”

Mr Aidala added that his client had suffered numerous health problems while in solitary confinement at New York’s Rikers Island prison.

Weinstein was brought to court on Tuesday with his left hand confined to his wheelchair.

Weinstein’s conviction in 2020 was crucial to the #MeToo movement, in which women accused hundreds of men in the media of sexual misconduct.

The founder of the film studio Miramax was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexually abusing production assistant Miriam Haley and raping actress Jessica Mann.

However, the New York Court of Appeals ruled in April that evidence presented by three witnesses regarding Weinstein’s “past offenses” that were unrelated to the charges against him violated the right to a fair trial.

Members of the #MeToo movement called the decision “deeply unjust,” while lawyers for the victims said the decision to reopen the case was a “step backwards” and “tragic.”

The case is scheduled to resume on September 2, after the Labor Day holiday. although no specific date has been set yet. Ms Blumberg said on Tuesday that prosecutors could realistically begin the trial in November.

Weinstein was also sentenced to 16 years in prison in a separate rape trial in California. That sentence was not affected by the New York appeals court’s decision, and he has not yet begun serving his California sentence.

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual assault. He denies all allegations against him.