New York香蕉视频直播檚 highest court on Thursday overturned 香蕉视频直播檚 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the era. The court found the trial judge had improperly allowed testimony against the ex-movie mogul based on allegations that weren香蕉视频直播檛 part of the case.
Weinstein, 72, will remain in prison because he was in 2022 of another rape. But the New York ruling reopens a painful chapter in America香蕉视频直播檚 reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures 香蕉视频直播� an era that began in 2017 with a flood of allegations against Weinstein.
While Thursday香蕉视频直播檚 ruling was a blow to #MeToo advocates, they noted it was based on legal technicalities and not an exoneration of Weinstein香蕉视频直播檚 behavior, saying the original trial irrevocably moved the cultural needle on attitudes about sexual assault.
The Manhattan district attorney香蕉视频直播檚 office said it intends to retry Weinstein, and his accusers could again be forced to retell their stories on the witness stand.
The state Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein香蕉视频直播檚 23-year sentence in a 4-3 decision, finding that 香蕉视频直播渢he trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts.香蕉视频直播� The court香蕉视频直播檚 majority called this 香蕉视频直播渁n abuse of judicial discretion.香蕉视频直播�
In a stinging dissent, Judge Madeline Singas wrote that the Court of Appeals was continuing a 香蕉视频直播渄isturbing trend of overturning juries香蕉视频直播� guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence.香蕉视频直播�
The reversal of Weinstein香蕉视频直播檚 conviction is the second major #MeToo setback in the last two years. of a Pennsylvania court decision to throw out Bill Cosby香蕉视频直播檚 sexual assault conviction.
Weinstein has been in a New York prison since his conviction for criminal sex acts, including forcibly performing oral sex on a TV and film production assistant in 2006, and rape in the third degree for an attack on an aspiring actress in 2013. He was sentenced to in the Los Angeles case.
Weinstein lawyer Arthur Aidala called the Court of Appeals ruling 香蕉视频直播渁 tremendous victory for every criminal defendant in the state of New York.香蕉视频直播�
Attorney Douglas H. Wigdor, who has represented eight Harvey Weinstein accusers including two witnesses at the New York criminal trial, called the ruling 香蕉视频直播渁 major step back.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淐ourts routinely admit evidence of other uncharged acts where they assist juries in understanding issues concerning the intent, modus operandi or scheme of the defendant. The jury was instructed on the relevance of this testimony and overturning the verdict is tragic in that it will require the victims to endure yet another trial,香蕉视频直播� Wigdor said in a statement.
Debra Katz, the prominent civil rights and #MeToo attorney who represented several Weinstein accusers, said her clients are 香蕉视频直播渇eeling gutted香蕉视频直播� by the ruling, but that she believed 香蕉视频直播� and was telling them 香蕉视频直播� that their testimony had changed the world.
香蕉视频直播淧eople continue to come forward, people continue to support other victims who香蕉视频直播檝e reported sexual assault and violence, and I truly believe there香蕉视频直播檚 no going back from that,香蕉视频直播� Katz said. She predicted Weinstein would be convicted again at a retrial, and said accusers feel great comfort knowing Weinstein will remain behind bars.
was heralded by activists and advocates as a milestone achievement, but dissected just as quickly by his lawyers and, later, the Court of Appeals when it heard arguments on the matter in February.
Allegations against Weinstein, the once powerful and feared studio boss behind such Oscar winners as 香蕉视频直播淧ulp Fiction香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淪hakespeare in Love,香蕉视频直播� .
to accuse Weinstein, including famous actresses such as Ashley Judd and Uma Thurman. His New York trial drew intense publicity, with .
Weinstein, who is incarcerated at the Mohawk Correctional Facility, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Albany, maintains his innocence. He contends any sexual activity was consensual.
Aidala argued before the appeals court in February that Burke swayed the trial by allowing three women to testify about allegations that weren香蕉视频直播檛 part of the case and by giving prosecutors permission to confront Weinstein, if he had testified, about his long history of brutish behavior.
Aidala argued the extra testimony went beyond the normally allowable details about motive, opportunity, intent or a common scheme or plan, and essentially put Weinstein on trial for crimes he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 charged with.
Weinstein wanted to testify but opted not to because Burke香蕉视频直播檚 ruling would香蕉视频直播檝e meant answering questions about more than two-dozen alleged acts of misbehavior dating back four decades, Aidala said. They included fighting with his movie producer brother, flipping over a table in anger and snapping at waiters, and yelling at his assistants.
A lawyer for the Manhattan district attorney香蕉视频直播檚 office, which prosecuted the case, argued that the judge香蕉视频直播榮 rulings were proper and the extra evidence and testimony he allowed was important to provide jurors context about Weinstein香蕉视频直播檚 behavior and the way he interacted with women.
Appellate Chief Steven Wu said Weinstein香蕉视频直播檚 acquittal on the most serious charges 香蕉视频直播� two counts of predatory sexual assault and a first-degree rape charge involving actor Annabella Sciorra香蕉视频直播檚 allegations of a mid-1990s rape 香蕉视频直播� showed jurors were paying attention and they were not confused or overwhelmed by the additional testimony.
The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named; Sciorra has spoken publicly about her allegations.
The Court of Appeals after an intermediate appeals court . Prior to their ruling, judges on the lower appellate court had raised doubts about Burke香蕉视频直播檚 conduct during oral arguments. One observed that Burke had from additional witnesses.
Burke香蕉视频直播檚 term expired at the end of 2022. He was not reappointed and is no longer a judge.
In appealing, Weinstein香蕉视频直播檚 lawyers sought a new trial, but only for the criminal sexual act charge. They argued the rape charge could not be retried because it involves alleged conduct outside the statute of limitations.
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