The New York Court of Appeals has overturned the 2020 conviction of Harvey Weinstein.
The top court said the judge in the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the former Hollywood producer with “egregious" improper rulings.
Weinstein will however however remain behind bars due to his 2022 conviction in another rape case.
"Harvey Weinstein's New York conviction from 2020 was just overturned in a 4-3 decision by the Court of Appeals.
“They're grasping at straws to get Donald Trump in prison, and yet, Harvey Weinstein — convicted rapist, predator, the monster behind #MeToo — just had his rape conviction overturned?
The New York Court of Appeals has overturned the 2020 conviction of Harvey Weinstein. The top court said the judge in the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the former Hollywood producer with “egregious" improper rulings. Weinstein will however however remain behind bars due to his 2022 conviction in another rape case. The verdict has spurred outrage from several quarters with many dubbing it an ‘outrageous, disgusting’ turn of events. Others still appeared to view this as a cautionary tale for the ongoing Donald Trump trials.
"Harvey Weinstein's New York conviction from 2020 was just overturned in a 4-3 decision by the Court of Appeals. Apparently, they thought his trial was unfair because they judged him on too much of his past evil. Why is the law THIS stupid?" fumed one X user.
“This is outrageous," added another.
“Just when you think justice is served, it takes an unexpected detour," rued a third.
Many linked the verdict to the Donald Trump trials, underscoring the need for careful evaluation. Others spoke out in favour of the former POTUS amid his landmark hush money trial in New York.
"This is what happens when prosecutors rush due to political pressure. Looking at you, Naysayers and Defeatists! And you wonder why they have to be really careful with Trump’s criminal cases," cautioned another.
“Trump is facing more than 100 years in jail for labeling payments made to his lawyer “legal fees" instead of “hush money payments", meanwhile Harvey Weinstein’s conviction is being overturned. You can get away with anything in NY unless your name is Trump," asserted another.
“They're grasping at straws to get Donald Trump in prison, and yet, Harvey Weinstein — convicted rapist, predator, the monster behind #MeToo — just had his rape conviction overturned? Lawfare," concluded a third.
Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence after being convicted in February 2020 of sexually assaulting a former production assistant in 2006, and raping an aspiring actress in 2013. He was separately given a 16-year prison sentence in California after his conviction for the 2013 rape of an actress in Los Angeles. He will now face a fresh trial in the 2020 case.
“It is an abuse of judicial discretion to permit untested allegations of nothing more than bad behavior that destroys a defendant's character but sheds no light on their credibility as related to the criminal charges…The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial," Judge Jenny Rivera wrote for the majority.
Meanwhile dissenting judge Madeline Singas opined that the outcome “perpetuates outdated notions of sexual violence and allows predators to escape accountability".
(With inputs from agencies)
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