Harvey Weinstein could face new charges this summer, New York prosecutors say

MANHATTAN (CN) — The Manhattan district attorney is seeking to file more criminal charges against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein ahead of his retrial in the fall, prosecutors told a New York judge on Tuesday.

The office is investigating “violent sexual assaults” of additional victims, prosecutor Nicole Blumberg told New York Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber, and intends to bring its findings before a grand jury.

“Do you believe it will be before the fall?” Farber asked.

“I do,” Blumberg replied.

Manhattan jurors found Weinstein guilty of third degree rape in 2020 following allegations of rampant sexual predation that tainted his Hollywood legacy and spurred the #MeToo movement.

Weinstein got a 23-year sentence, which the 72-year-old was in the midst of serving when New York’s highest court tossed the verdict earlier this year. The New York Court of Appeals ruled in April that Weinstein was subjected to “egregious errors” at trial, including prejudicial testimony.

His 2022 conviction in California for another rape still stands.

Weinstein is detained at Rikers Island awaiting a retrial, which is tentatively slated for this fall. But prosecutors and defense attorneys are at odds over the precise date.

The district attorney wants a November trial to give prosecutors enough time to bring the fresh charges, Blumberg said Tuesday. Weinstein is seeking a date in September.

Citing his client’s failing health, defense attorney Arthur Aidala chided prosecutors on Tuesday for “delay tactics” and accused the district attorney of unduly fishing for crimes to pin on Weinstein.

“They have a defendant, and now they’re out there looking for a crime, which as a citizen really troubles me,” Aidala said. “We have the individual, and now we’re out there like they did last time with the hotline 1-800-Get-Harvey.”

Aidala claimed Weinstein was “suffering tremendously under his current environment.”

“Mr. Weinstein has fluid in his heart, Mr. Weinstein has fluid in his lungs,” Aidala said, reading a note from Weinstein’s doctor. “His diabetes is going through the roof because the diet they give individuals at Rikers Island is like 90% carbohydrates.”

Farber told Aidala he was happy to accommodate Weinstein’s health concerns in any way he can. “All you need to do is reach out to chambers,” he said.

But prosecutors insisted that a September trial date wasn’t realistic. Blumberg said the probe is ongoing and requires the team to determine which accusations fall within the statute of limitations.

“In 2020, there were women who were not ready to proceed with the legal process," Blumberg said. “Some of those women are now ready to proceed.”

A pale, clean-shaven Weinstein watched Tuesday’s proceedings from the defense table. Now bound to a wheelchair, the Miramax film studio co-founder had to be pushed in and out of the courtroom by court officers.

Among the packed gallery of onlookers for Tuesday’s proceedings was Jessica Mann, the actress Weinstein was convicted of raping in the 2020 case. Mann is one of more than 80 women in total who have come forward with accusations of Weinstein’s sexual misconduct.

The parties will return to Farber’s courtroom on July 19 for another hearing on Weinstein’s retrial.

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