New York's Top Court Overturns Harvey Weinstein's Rape Conviction: A Setback for #MeToo Era
New York's highest court overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction on Thursday, citing unfair testimony during the trial.
Weinstein, 72, will remain in prison due to a 2022 rape conviction in Los Angeles.
The ruling reopened a painful chapter in the #MeToo era, leaving those who testified bracing for a potential retrial and disappointing those who celebrated the historic gains against sexual misconduct by powerful figures.
The court found that testimony against Weinstein based on allegations not part of the case was improperly allowed.
The #MeToo movement expressed that a recent court ruling overturning Harvey Weinstein's 23-year sentence was based on legal technicalities and not a vindication of his behavior.
The Manhattan district attorney plans to retry Weinstein, and at least one accuser intends to testify again.
The New York State Court of Appeals reversed Weinstein's conviction due to the admission of testimony about uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts, which they deemed highly prejudicial and an abuse of judicial discretion.
In a case regarding sexual violence, two judges, Madeline Singas and Anthony Cannataro, wrote dissenting opinions after the Court of Appeals overturned a jury's guilty verdict.
Singas expressed concern over the court's trend of overturning jury decisions in sexual violence cases, which she believed was at the expense of women.
Cannataro added that the decision was endangering progress made in the complex and nuanced area of sex crime law, which has deep-rooted patriarchal and misogynistic traditions.
The ruling reopened a painful chapter in the #MeToo era, leaving those who testified bracing for a potential retrial and disappointing those who celebrated the historic gains against sexual misconduct by powerful figures.
The court found that testimony against Weinstein based on allegations not part of the case was improperly allowed.
The #MeToo movement expressed that a recent court ruling overturning Harvey Weinstein's 23-year sentence was based on legal technicalities and not a vindication of his behavior.
The Manhattan district attorney plans to retry Weinstein, and at least one accuser intends to testify again.
The New York State Court of Appeals reversed Weinstein's conviction due to the admission of testimony about uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts, which they deemed highly prejudicial and an abuse of judicial discretion.
In a case regarding sexual violence, two judges, Madeline Singas and Anthony Cannataro, wrote dissenting opinions after the Court of Appeals overturned a jury's guilty verdict.
Singas expressed concern over the court's trend of overturning jury decisions in sexual violence cases, which she believed was at the expense of women.
Cannataro added that the decision was endangering progress made in the complex and nuanced area of sex crime law, which has deep-rooted patriarchal and misogynistic traditions.
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