Harvey Weinstein, the former movie mogul, will remain in custody in New York while awaiting retrial on rape and sexual assault charges in Manhattan. The prosecutors have confirmed that Weinstein will not be released from the Rikers Island jail complex, where he has been held since being hospitalised for health problems last month.
This development comes as Weinstein made a brief court appearance related to California’s request to extradite him there. However, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Weinstein will first serve his pending 16-year sentence for a separate rape conviction in California before returning to New York to face trial.
Weinstein, who has denied all allegations of rape and sexual assault, was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 while already serving a 23-year sentence in New York. The 72-year-old was seen in court on Monday, appearing with one hand cuffed to his wheelchair and the other grasping a book and a magazine.
The retrial in Manhattan is tentatively scheduled for November, following the state’s top court’s ruling this spring that the judge in the original trial unfairly allowed testimony against Weinstein based on allegations that were not part of the case.
Harvey Weinstein (Image via Getty)
As part of the extradition process, Weinstein’s lawyers have agreed that he will remain at the Rikers Island jail complex, said to be his temporary residence since being hospitalised last month. Prosecutors in Manhattan have also announced their intention to bring new sexual assault charges against Weinstein, but details and a timeline for these potential new charges have not been disclosed.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, has raised questions about the strength of the current case, suggesting that the discussion of new accusers may indicate doubts within the prosecution regarding their current charges. Despite this, Harvey Weinstein remains behind bars, awaiting his retrial and potential extradition to California to face his earlier conviction.
The Queens District Attorney, Melinda Katz, has reiterated that Weinstein will serve his California sentence first, stating that it is now his primary sentence. This means that if he is found guilty in the upcoming trial in Manhattan, he will likely face additional time behind bars.
In the meantime, Weinstein’s legal team will continue to await the outcome of the retrial, which is expected to take place in November.
