On Wednesday, a haggard-looking Harvey Weinstein appeared in a Manhattan courtroom in a wheelchair. It was Mr. Weinstein's first court appearance since reports about his cancer diagnosis surfaced.
The disgraced Hollywood chief, who brought along a copy of the political thriller “Conclave,” quietly said “thank you” to supporters in the front row of the gallery as police officers wheeled him into Manhattan Supreme Court in a wheelchair. Ta.
In a brief hearing, Judge Curtis Farber said Mr. Weinstein's retrial in the landmark #MeToo sex crimes case would also include new charges that he forced a woman to perform oral sex on him at a New York City hotel in 2006. It was decided that it would be.
Mr. Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, declined to answer questions about Mr. Weinstein's health after his court appearance.
A source confirmed to the Post on Monday that Weinstein had been diagnosed with cancer. NBC News reported He has a type of bone marrow cancer known as chronic myeloid leukemia.
“I'm not going to give any specifics, other than to say that Mr. Weinstein is a fighter and is going to fight this case and fight with everything he has,” Aidala told reporters.
Weinstein's campaign had called for the new sex scandal facing Weinstein to be separated from his retrial on charges for which a Manhattan jury convicted him in 2020. The Empire State's highest appellate court successfully reversed that verdict in April.
But the judge noted that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office plans to call many of the same witnesses if the new allegations are heard, including one who is expected to speak about Weinstein's “status and influence in the entertainment industry.” , ruled that both cases should be consolidated. By itself.
Weinstein, 72, was clutching two books, including a 2016 novel by author Robert Harris.
His retrial had been scheduled to begin as early as November, but in light of the new charges brought by his unnamed accuser, his lawyers and prosecutors jointly announced Wednesday that the retrial should begin at least next spring. We agreed to postpone it until later.
“We are pleased with the court's decision to combine the two indictments,” Lindsey Goldblum, an attorney for the accuser, who calls herself “Jane Doe,” said in a statement.
“While Ms. Doe has previously chosen to keep this painful part of her experience private, she has always been consistent in her conversations with Manhattan prosecutors, insisting that the encounter was not consensual. “There are,” Goldblum added. “MS. Ms. Doe requests that her privacy be respected as she prepares to testify.”
Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in prison in February 2023 for a Los Angeles criminal case in which he raped an Italian model and is being held at Rikers Island.
A New York judge ordered him to remain in New York City until his trial in Manhattan, and then to be sent to a California jail.
More than 80 women have publicly accused Miramax's former president of sexual misconduct.
Mr. Weinstein has maintained his innocence and maintained that the meeting was consensual.
