Two days after Harvey Weinstein‘s rape conviction was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals, the former movie mogul has been hospitalized.
Weinstein’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, said he was admitted to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan for a battery of tests, according to The Associated Press.
“They examined him and sent him to Bellevue,” Aidala explained. “It seems like he needs a lot of help, physically. He’s got a lot of problems. He’s getting all kinds of tests. He’s somewhat of a train wreck health-wise.”
NYC Department of Correction spokesperson Frank Dwyer told The Hollywood Reporter that Weinstein remains in custody while in the hospital. A representative for the former movie producer told THR that his prison consultant and DOC liaison, Craig Rothfeld, said they “are grateful for NYC DOC’s care and discretion as they have been treating Harvey Weinstein’s medical issues as best they can.”
On Thursday, news broke that Weinstein’s rape conviction was overturned in New York with a 4-3 ruling that stated the previous New York County trial prejudiced him with improper ruling, including women testifying about allegations that weren’t part of the initial case.
The appeals court — the highest in New York state — also noted that a new trial must take place. Weinstein is set to return to court for the first time since his conviction on May 1, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said Friday. However, the D.A.’s office did not indicate what the hearing would be about.
The D.A.’s office did not indicate what Wednesday’s hearing would be about, but it reiterated its previous statement that “we will do everything in our power to retry this case.”
“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,” Judge Jenny Rivera wrote in her ruling. “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. 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 was found guilty of criminal sexual assault in the first degree and rape in the third degree in February 2020. His conviction followed the testimonies of former Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley and once-aspiring actress Jessica Mann. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
In December 2022, he went to trial in Los Angeles and was also convicted of rape there, which means he will remain in prison even if a new trial is established in New York. The former movie mogul is expected to be transferred to a California prison to begin serving his sentence.
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