New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction

New York's appeals court overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction on Thursday, paving the way for a retrial. The court determined that the judge in the high-profile #MeToo case had biased the former movie mogul with improper rulings, including allowing testimony on allegations not pertinent to the case.

"The court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against individuals unrelated to the current case," stated the court in a 4-3 decision. "This testimony lacked material non-propensity relevance."

Judge Jenny Rivera characterized the errors as "egregious" and mandated a new trial, potentially requiring Weinstein's accusers to testify again.

Attorney Lindsay Goldbrum, who represented six of Weinstein's accusers, criticized the ruling, expressing concern that it could discourage future sexual assault victims from speaking out.

Meanwhile, Douglas H. Wigdor, an attorney for eight accusers, condemned the decision as regressive, arguing that evidence of prior uncharged acts is often admissible to establish intent or patterns.

Judge Madeline Singas dissented, accusing the majority of downplaying facts and neglecting the jury's consideration of Weinstein's history of assaults.

Weinstein, 72, has been serving a 23-year sentence for a 2006 criminal sex act and a 2013 rape conviction.