Harvey Weinstein retrial expected to last four to six weeks

Harvey Weinstein’s retrial starting on April 15 is expected to last four to six weeks, it emerged at a pre-trial hearing in Manhattan on Wednesday, according to reports.

The 73-year-old disgraced former Hollywood mogul is charged with third-degree rape, and first-degree sexual assault against different women, as well as a new charge brought in September of criminal sexual act in the first degree.

The court will empanel jurors starting on April 15 in a process that could last five days.

Weinstein was convicted in February 2020 and sentenced to 23 years by a New York judge, only for the conviction to be overturned by New York Court of Appeals by a 4-3 majority. On that occasion appellate judges found the original trial wrongly admitted testimony of “prior bad acts” against women who were not complainants in the trial but testified to show Weinstein had a propensity to commit such acts.

With regard to the charge of third-degree rape against Jessica Mann, Judge Curtis Farber went back on his initial decision and said Mann will be allowed to tell jurors that the Miramax co-founder used force against her in a Manhattan hotel room in March 2013, even though he was acquitted of first-degree rape.

The defendant is charged with forcing oral sex on Mimi Haleyi (also known as Miriam Haley), and the charge brought last year involves a third woman.

Weinstein denies all charges and any wrongdoing.

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