The turnaround of the disgraced movie mogul’s conviction in New York is being opposed by Harvey Weinstein’s prosecutors and critics of physical violence in Hollywood and elsewhere.
A New York court of appeals ‘ judgement on Thursday to overturn the verdict was condemned by Ashley Judd, Mira Sorvino, and others who have accused the former Hollywood maker of sexual misconduct.
After supposedly assaulting previous production assistant Mimi Haley and once-aspiring professional Jessica Mann, Weinstein has been serving a 23-year word since he was found guilty in 2020 of murder and a criminal sex crime .
” This now is an act of administrative treachery. And our organisations turn away female sexual assault victims, Judd said at a press conference held at the Millennium Hilton hotel in New York. Because female sexual assault may blow us along, but we get right back away, I stand shoulder to shoulder with people who have terrible legs. And we are fighting for our bodies ‘ independence from male rights.
” This is unfair to individuals”, Judd added on her Instagram account. ” We live in our reality. We know what happened”.
# MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke said at the press conference that “moments like this underscore why movements are necessary and why we keep going.”
” We are devastated for the individuals who are connected to this situation and who have found some pleasure and emotion in the initial verdict,” Burke said. ” We will constantly have with commitment and endurance. … This is not a punch to the action. We are prepared to respond to the call because it is a clarification contact.
The New York appeals courtroom found, in a , 4- 3 determination, that the prosecutor who presided over Weinstein’s test prejudiced the case by allowing four people who said Weinstein had assaulted them to serve as witnesses, yet though their claims were never part of the case.
The trial judge also erred by permitting prosecution to issue Weinstein about decades-old and uncharged claims if he decided to speak, the jury determined.
Weinstein was also , convicted of murder in California,  , and the New York decision will have no practical result on his prison.
Weinstein’s legal group lauded the judge’s decision at a news conference in Manhattan.
” From the bottom of our souls, from our shared hundreds of years of experience, we knew that Harvey Weinstein did not get a good trial”, said Arthur Aidala, lead counsel for Weinstein. ” There are some people in society who are unhappy, but we still have to apply the law reasonably.”
Sorvino wrote on X that she was “horrified” by the media, which surfaced during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Since when do courts permit the admission of evidence of a pattern of previous poor acts? Sorvino said. ” He’s a prolific serial predator who raped/harmed 200+women! Disgusted w/justice system ]skew toward ] predators not victims”.
Weinstein has refuted every claim of physical abuse.
The Solitude Breakers, a group of 23 women who accuse Weinstein of physical misconduct, including players Rose McGowan and Rosanna Arquette, released a statement calling the ruling “disheartening” and “profoundly wrong.”
” This decision does not undermine the validity of our activities or our fact, it’s simply a setback”, the Silence Breaks said.
” The gentleman who was found guilty is still incarcerated in California.” When 2017 saw the breaking of solitude among individuals all over the world. We continue to fight for that shift and remain strong. Everywhere we go, we’ll fight for justice for victims.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a documentarian director, Weinstein defendant, and second wife of California, described Thursday as” a really unhappy time for many people who suffered at the hands of a serial predator.”
” Two courts have said firmly: Harvey Weinstein must never be able to rape another woman, and he deserves to devote the rest of his life behind restaurants”, Siebel Newsom said in a statement.
” One of the most horrifying experiences of my life was the criminal trial in Los Angeles. I’m so proud of everyone who took the time to speak their truth.
The Hollywood Commission’s chair and president, Anita Hill, stated in a statement that the reversal on Thursday demonstrates that” sexual assault continues to be a pervasive problem” and highlights that” there has n’t been progress in addressing the power imbalances that allow abuse to occur.
” Many survivors do not fight for justice because they think nothing will be done,” Hill continued.
The decision of today highlights the urgent need for systemic changes in our institutions and reaffirms our commitment to survivors by urging them to demand the policies and systems that will ensure accountability and free workplaces from the behaviors that justifies the need for these systems in the first place.
Attorney Douglas Wigdor, who has represented eight Weinstein accusers, including two of the witnesses at the New York criminal trial, denounced Thursday’s decision as” a major step back in holding those responsible for acts of sexual violence.”
In a statement, Wigdor said,” Courts frequently accept evidence of other uncharged acts where they aid juries in comprehending issues regarding the defendant’s intent, modus operandi, or scheme.”
The jury was given instructions on the relevance of this testimony, and overturning the verdict is tragic because it will require the victims to go to yet another trial.
Attorney Gloria Allred, who represented Haley and two other witnesses in the New York case, confirmed on Thursday in a statement that her client “would consider testifying again if District Attorney Alvin Bragg decided to proceed with a new trial.”
Mimi Allred praised her bravery and willingness to fight for the truth, according to Allred. The verdict means that it will be more difficult to find guilty those who abuse and exploit women. In consequence, sexual predators will face fewer criminal charges and many will not receive the justice they deserve. Although the victims of this conflict have lost, the war has not.
Attorney David Ring— who represents actor Evgeniya Chernyshova, a Jane Doe in the criminal proceedings brought against Harvey Weinstein in Los Angeles — said his client “is obviously disappointed” in Thursday’s outcome.
” She feels badly for those victims who endured that trial and the subsequent appeals, only to see the convictions reversed”, Ring said in a statement. ” However, both she and I are confident that Weinstein’s Los Angeles conviction for rape will be upheld”.
A Manhattan district attorney’s office spokesperson said in a statement to The Times that” we will do everything in our power to retry this case and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault.”
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