After being found guilty of rape and sexual assault two and a half years ago, Harvey Weinstein was permitted to appeal.
According to reports, Chief Judge Janet DiFore allowed the 70-year-old departed filmmaker’s appeal at the New York State of Appeals on Wednesday.
Weinstein is still maintaining his innocence.
“I am so grateful to my attorneys for working hard and smart on this,” he says. “Their hard work will help me prove my innocence in the end.”
During the hearing, Weinstein’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said, “We are grateful that Chief Judge DiFiore acknowledged the substantial legal issues in this case, and we are hopeful that the entire Court will find that Mr. Weinstein did not receive a fair trial and reverse his conviction.”
He added, “Mr. Weinstein has consistently maintained his innocence.”
The New York Times reported that Weinstein was found guilty of rape in the third degree and a first-degree criminal sexual act in February 2020. On three additional charges, he was acquitted. The charges were made by two women who said that Weinstein had abused them in 2006 and 2013.
According to The New York Times, Weinstein victimized 80 women. Still, he was only charged in the Manhattan trial with assaulting two women: former production assistant Miriam “Mimi” Haleyi and aspiring actress Jessica Mann.
Prosecutors called another four women to the testimony to show a pattern of Weinstein’s predatory behavior. However, their claimed occurrences occurred after the New York statute of limitations expired.
Weinstein received a 23-year prison sentence a month after being found guilty.
As of June, Weinstein is facing new indecent assault charges in London.
Additionally, he is awaiting trial in Los Angeles, where he is accused of another sexual assault.
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