NY appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, ordering new trial

In a blow to the landmark #MeToo case against Harvey Weinstein, a New York appeals court has overturned the disgraced movie mogul's 2020 rape conviction and ordered a new trial.

The New York Court of Appeals, in a 4-3 ruling on Thursday, determined that the trial was compromised by the admission of testimony from witnesses whose accusations were not directly part of the charges against Weinstein. The court found that the "erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts" deprived Weinstein of a fair trial by effectively putting his broader pattern of behavior improperly on trial.

Additionally, the appeals panel stated that the trial judge allowed Weinstein to be cross-examined and portrayed in a "highly prejudicial" manner that further undermined the fairness of the proceedings, reports the BBC.

"The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial," the majority wrote, while a dissenting judge argued the decision "continues to thwart the steady gains survivors of sexual violence have fought for."

Weinstein, 72, remains incarcerated at the Mohawk Correctional Facility in New York while also serving a 16-year sentence from a separate Los Angeles conviction in 2022 on rape charges, which was unaffected by this ruling.

The reversal has sparked outrage among Weinstein's accusers and victims' advocates. The Silence Breakers group called it "disheartening and profoundly unjust," while lawyers representing some victims decried it as a damaging "setback" and "leap backwards" that could hinder pursuit of justice for survivors of sexual violence in future cases.

Prosecutors, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, have vowed to retry Weinstein, with a spokesperson stating their "steadfast commitment to survivors of sexual assault."

The fallen Hollywood titan behind hits like Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love was a leading figure whose exposure in 2017 catalyzed the #MeToo reckoning over sexual misconduct. At his 2020 New York trial, he was convicted of forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant in 2006 and raping an aspiring actress in 2013.

As the legal saga continues to unfold, Weinstein also faces separate charges in the UK related to indecent assault allegations. The path forward will hinge on whether prosecutors can muster a new case that overcomes the perceived trial flaws identified by the appeals court.