Court overturns Weinstein sex crime charges

• Published date: 26 April 2024
• Publication title: Mercury

In their 4-3 decision, judges cited errors in the way the trial had been conducted, including admitting the testimony of women who were not part of the charges against him

“Order reversed and a new trial ordered,” the ruling said. “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,” wrote Judge Jenny Rivera, in an opinion for the majority.

“The court compounded that error when it ruled that defendant, who had no criminal history, could be cross-examined about those allegations as well as numerous allegations of misconduct that portrayed the defendant in a highly prejudicial light.”

Weinstein, 72, was convicted in February 2020 of rape and sexual assault by a court in New York, and later sentenced to 23 years in prison.

It was not clear what would happen to Weinstein, who is being held at the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome, New York state.

He was subsequently convicted and sentenced by a Los Angeles court to an additional 16 years in prison for the rape of a woman in a Beverly Hills hotel room, to be served after the first sentence.

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