Harvey Weinstein’s rape and sexual assault retrial is scheduled to start on Nov. 12. The development comes three months after the disgraced Hollywood producer’s initial New York 2020 convictions were overturned in April.
On Friday, Weinstein appeared briefly in a Manhattan courtroom and was seen using a wheelchair, wearing a suit and sporting black framed glasses and an American flag pin. Judge Curtis Farber also slotted jury selection for the retrial to start in November, with the discovery stage set for September.
Following his courtroom visit, during which involved parties discussed evidence in the case, Weinstein’s team spoke to reporters outside.
On behalf of his client, Weinstein’s attorney Diana Fabi Samson said Weinstein is “anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence. Physically, he is not well, and that has affected his mental state,” per People. The longtime movie producer has denied ever sexually assaulting anyone.
On April 25, four years after Weinstein was found guilty of criminal sex acts, including third-degree rape, the movie producer’s conviction was overturned after the New York State Court of Appeals found that the trial judge who handled his case “erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts,” allowing information to be presented that prejudiced the jury because the accusations weren’t part of the charges against him.
Weinstein, 72, had served about four years of his original 23-year sentence. The trial and Weinstein’s judgement became the highest-profile case during the #MeToo era.
Regardless of the New York city case outcome, Weinstein will remain in prison due to his separate California conviction.
