Harvey Weinstein facing investigation over “additional violent sexual assaults”
Content warning: this article discusses rape and sexual assaultHarvey Weinstein is facing a new investigation over alleged “additional violent sexual assaults”, prosecutors in New York have said.At a hearing in New York State criminal court earlier this week (July 8), prosecutor Nicole Blumberg said they’re looking for a new indictment, explaining that the alleged additional assaults were still within the statute of limitations to be charged as crimes.The former movie producer was found guilty on February 24 2020 after being convicted of first-degree and third-degree rape, and was sentenced to 23 years in a New York state prison.However, in April, The New York Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction for rape, deeming that the judge at the trial gave improper rulings. Weinstein has denied having non-consensual encounters with anyone.Speaking on Tuesday (July 9), Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala said it was unfair for prosecutors to seek to add additional victims to the case after the conviction had already been overturned.He added: “Once again we have a hotline: ‘1-800 Get Harvey”.Weinstein has remained in jail because he was also convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape.