Harvey Weinstein Accusers React to Rape Conviction Overturned: "Profoundly Unjust"

Harvey Weinstein Accusers React to Rape Conviction Overturned: “Profoundly Unjust”

In a stunning twist to the landmark #MeToo case, the New York state Court of Appeals has overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction.

The highest court in New York state’s judicial system ruled on Thursday that the judge in the New York County trial prejudiced Weinstein with improper rulings, including allowing women to testify about allegations that were not part of the case.

The decision orders a new trial take place.

“Under our system of justice, the accused has a right to be held to account only for the crime charged and, thus, allegations of prior bad acts may not be admitted against them for the sole purpose of establishing their propensity for criminality. Nor may the prosecution use ‘prior convictions or proof of the prior commission of specific, criminal, vicious or immoral acts’ other than to impeach the accused’s credibility,” wrote Judge Jenny Rivera in her ruling. “It is our solemn duty to diligently guard these rights regardless of the crime charged, the reputation of the accused or the pressure to convict.”

Weinstein’s lawyer in the appellate case, Arthur Aidala, said, according to the Associated Press, “We all worked very hard and this is a tremendous victory for every criminal defendant in the state of New York.”

Aidala is set to hold a press conference in Manhattan early Thursday afternoon.

A spokesperson for the Manhattan D.A.’s office told The Hollywood Reporter: “We will do everything in our power to retry this case, and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault.”

“We’re cautiously excited,” Weinstein’s spokesperson Juda Engelmayer told Deadline shortly after the ruling was made public. “He still has a long road ahead of him because of the Los Angeles case. We are studying the ramifications of the appeal right now.”

Douglas H. Wigdor, who has represented eight Weinstein victims including two of the Molineux witnesses at the New York criminal trial, called the ruling a “major step back” in a decision that will ask the victims to relive the trial.

“Today’s decision is a major step back in holding those accountable for acts of sexual violence,” he said in a statement sent to THR. “Courts routinely admit evidence of other uncharged acts where they assist juries in understanding issues concerning the modus operandi or scheme of the defendant.  The jury was instructed on the relevance of this testimony and overturning the verdict is tragic in that it will require the victims to endure yet another trial.”

The Silence Breakers, the group of sexual assault survivors and Weinstein accusers who represent more than 90 women, called the decision “profoundly unjust” but explained why it’s also “merely a setback.”

Their statement sent to THR reads: “The news today is not only disheartening, but it’s profoundly unjust. But this ruling does not diminish the validity of our experiences or our truth; it’s merely a setback. The man found guilty continues to serve time in a California prison. When survivors everywhere broke their silence in 2017, the world changed. We continue to stand strong and advocate for that change. We will continue to fight for justice for survivors everywhere.”

Ashley Judd, the first actress to come forward with accusations against Weinstein, gave her quick reaction to the New York Times on Thursday, saying, “That is unfair to survivors. We still live in our truth. And we know what happened.”

Actress Katherine Kendall, one of Weinstein’s accusers, told the publication she was “flabbergasted” by the decision, saying it’s “a terrible reminder that victims of sexual assault just don’t get justice.” However, added, “He will never be free because his name is synonymous with sexual assault. Maybe the most important part is the the awakening that took place. And that will keep taking place.”

Amber Tamblyn, the actress and activist, said the conviction being overturned is “a loss to the entire community of women who put their lives and careers on the line to speak out.” But she hopes it reinvigorates the #MeToo movement everywhere: “I hope that it reignites people and their passion to not just say they want equality, not just say they want safety, but to really work towards it,” she told the Times.

In February of 2020, Weinstein was found guilty of criminal sexual assault in the first degree, based on the testimony of former Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley, and rape in the third degree, based on the testimony of onetime aspiring actress Jessica Mann. He was acquitted on three other charges, and sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Weinstein also went to trial in Los Angeles, where he was convicted in December 2022 of rape. That conviction means that Weinstein will remain in prison if a new New York trial gets established.

The convictions in New York and Los Angeles ended Weinstein’s career as an entertainment titan. The film producer, Miramax and The Weinstein Company co-founder wielded tremendous power in Hollywood, rising from a concert promoter to a mogul, until, in October 2017, a pair of investigative reports from The New York Times and The New Yorker explored years of abuse and sexual assault that Weinstein was ultimately found guilty of. The verdicts were hailed as marking a new era of justice in the #MeToo era.

This is a developing story.

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