Harvey Weinstein’s conviction is overturned in the appeals court – NRK Urix – Foreign news and documentaries

New York’s highest court reached a surprising conclusion on Thursday in the appeal case of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein (72).

In the appeals court, it was decided to overturn the verdict from 2020, where the film producer was sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault against two women.

The New York court ruled that Weinstein’s trial had several flaws.

Prosecutors had called several women as witnesses who claimed Weinstein had assaulted them.

Also read: Norwegian Natassia Malthe claims Harvey Weinstein forced her to have sex in 2008.

But since the accusations were not part of the indictment, it was not right to take them in as witnesses, writes the New York Times.

Thus, the court concluded that Weinstein had not received a fair trial.

– Unfair

– It is unfair to the victims, says Ashley Judd to the New York Times, the first actress to come forward with accusations against Weinstein.

– We still live with our truths. And we know what happened.

The decision to overturn the conviction against Weinstein was made by a 4-3 majority in the New York Court of Appeals.

Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala was pleased after the decision was announced.

– We have all worked very hard, and this is a great victory for all criminal defendants in New York, he says, according to AP.

In addition to the sentence from New York, Weinstein has been sentenced to 16 years in prison in California for a rape at a Beverly Hills hotel.

Weinstein has also appealed against this sentence.

Will consider a new trial

Now it’s up to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg to decide whether Weinstein should get a new trial.

Bragg is currently the prosecuting authority in the so-called bribery case against Donald Trump.

The man behind hits like “Pulp Fiction”, “Shakespeare in Love” and “The English Patient” is now in prison in Rome, New York.

He has been accused of sexual assault by over 100 women.

In New York he was convicted of the charges brought by two of them.