Former film mogul Harvey Weinstein will soon face another trial for sex crimes in New York. A so-called grand jury has cleared the way for another trial against the 72-year-old, US media have unanimously reported.
A grand jury is a group of jurors who, after presenting evidence to the prosecution, decides whether to bring charges in a case.
It was initially unclear what exactly the new charges are about, as they remain under seal until they are read out. According to information from the TV channel CNN, citing the prosecutor’s office, they could be allegations of sexual assault against three women. Weinstein himself was not present at a hearing on Thursday due to health problems. He was taken from prison to a New York hospital on Sunday and underwent emergency heart surgery.
Further trial to begin in November
According to reports, the new charges have nothing to do with the historic 2020 verdict against Weinstein, which was overturned by an appeals court in New York at the end of April. The prosecution had announced that it wanted to reopen this case. The start date has been provisionally set for November 12.
Weinstein, once the all-powerful Hollywood star, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexual offenses in 2020. The numerous assaults on women he was accused of had played a key role in setting off the global MeToo movement, in which women in particular drew attention to sexual assaults by men.
As a result, numerous people around the world – including many celebrities – were seriously incriminated by similar allegations. In addition, Weinstein was convicted of similar crimes in Los Angeles, which is why he remains in prison.
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