New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
NEW YORK (AP) New Yorks highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinsteins 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that werent part of the case.
The state Court of Appeals ruling reopens a painful chapter in Americas reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures an era that began in 2017 with a flood of allegations against Weinstein. The court ordered a new trial. His accusers could again be forced to relive their traumas on the witness stand.
Weinstein, 72, has been serving a 23-year sentence in a New York prison following his conviction on charges of criminal sex act for 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.
https://apnews.com/article/weinstein-metoo-appeal-ed29faeec862abf0c071e8bd3574c4a3
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(163 posts)JT45242
(2,295 posts)I haven't read the decision, but based on the law it is likely a valid conclusion.
Rape laws were written by powerful white men to protect other mostly white men from ever facing consequences from raping women. -- especially if the perpetrators were rich, white men.
There have been some (regretably small) moves away from that but rich, powerful white men still control most of the legislatures around the country and have prevented changes that would make it easier to prosecute rape.