Additional Coverage:
- Harvey Weinstein Hospitalized for COVID-19 and Double Pneumonia While Awaiting Retrial in New York (newsbreak.com)
Harvey Weinstein, the former film producer whose criminal conduct sparked global conversations, has been hospitalized for multiple health issues, including COVID-19 and severe pneumonia, according to his spokesperson, Craig Rothfield. Rothfield informed NBC News and ABC News that Weinstein, age 72, is currently receiving care in the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward following the onset of these health problems.
In addition to battling COVID-10 and pneumonia, Weinstein suffers from a range of chronic conditions which include diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal problems, and fluid accumulation in his cardiac and pulmonary areas, Rothfield detailed to the media.
This development follows the April reversal of Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction by the New York State Court of Appeals. The court held that the original trial judge committed significant errors, particularly by allowing testimony about allegations unrelated to the charges against Weinstein, thereby compromising the fairness of his trial. As a result, Weinstein is entitled to a new trial.
Douglas H. Wigdor, an attorney who represented several of Weinstein’s accusers, expressed his disappointment in the decision, highlighting its potential implications for the accountability of sexual misconduct. He remarked on the common legal practice of admitting evidence of other uncharged acts to help juries understand the defendant’s intent or pattern of behavior.
Weinstein is now awaiting a new trial in Manhattan Criminal Court, with jury selection scheduled to start on November 12. Despite the turbulence and challenges of his health, his lawyer, Diana Fabi Samson, relayed to journalists that Weinstein is eager to prove his innocence at the upcoming trial, although his physical health is deteriorating and impacting his mental well-being.
Although his conviction in New York has been vacated, Weinstein remains incarcerated due to a separate 2022 conviction in Los Angeles for rape, for which he received a 16-year sentence. His legal troubles began in 2017 when he was first accused by multiple women of decades-long sexual misconduct—charges he has consistently denied.
For assistance or information concerning sexual assault, the National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reached at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).