A New York appeals courtroom on Thursday upheld Harvey Weinstein’s rape and sexual assault conviction, rejecting the disgraced film producer’s arguments that the trial decide made a number of errors that clouded the trial.
Weinstein was interesting his February 2020 conviction and 23-year jail sentence for assaulting former manufacturing assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann.
“We reject the defendant’s arguments and affirm the conviction on all counts,” stated a unanimous five-judge panel of the Appellate Division in Manhattan, discovering no errors that may justify overturning Weinstein’s conviction or sentence.
Juda Engelmayer, a spokesman for Weinstein, stated Weinstein will attraction the choice to New York State’s highest courtroom, the Court docket of Appeals. “We’re disenchanted and saddened by Mr. Weinstein,” Engelmayer stated.
The decision was thought-about a milestone within the #MeToo motion, the place ladies have accused dozens of highly effective males of sexual misconduct. Many see the allegations towards Weinstein, which surfaced in 2017, as the important thing spark for that motion.
Weinstein, 70, has denied any non-consensual sexual encounters.
He offered seven arguments to vacate his conviction, together with that the rape expenses had been primarily based on inadequate proof.
Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg, whose predecessor, Cyrus Vance, first criminally charged Weinstein, welcomed Thursday’s resolution, saying he was “grateful to the courageous survivors of this case for his or her outstanding braveness and candor.” “.
Weinstein is jailed in California, the place he was extradited final yr, and awaits trial on 11 counts of alleged misconduct towards 5 ladies in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles between 2004 and 2013.
Weinstein had beforehand pleaded not responsible to rape and sexual assault expenses in Los Angeles. His attorneys there have argued that a number of the expenses ought to be dismissed as a result of the statute of limitations had expired.
