Harvey Weinstein's Retrial Delayed: New Evidence Emerges

Harvey Weinstein, the once powerful Hollywood producer, won't be facing a retrial anytime soon. His lawyer plans to bring in a private investigator to look into a new accusation that has been added to the case. This all happened during a recent court hearing where Weinstein appeared for a pretrial meeting. He was already set for a retrial on two charges of sex crimes, but in September, a new charge was added. This new charge alleges another assault incident. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. The judge, Curtis Farber, approved the prosecution's request to combine both cases and will decide on a new trial date before January 29, 2025. The original trial date was planned for November 12, but Weinstein's lawyers requested more time due to the new charge. They want a date in March or April, giving them time to investigate and dig deeper into the evidence. Weinstein was previously convicted for forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant in 2006 and raping an aspiring actor in 2013. The new charge involves forcing oral sex on another woman in a hotel in 2006. After the hearing, Weinstein's lawyer mentioned they haven't been informed of the new accuser's identity yet. The woman, represented by Lindsay Goldbrum, has chosen to remain anonymous for now but is ready to testify at the trial. Prosecutors had previously argued against a separate trial for the new charge, saying it would be a waste of judicial resources. Weinstein's legal team, on the other hand, wants the cases to stay separate, claiming the prosecutors are trying to turn the retrial into a whole new trial. Weinstein has been in custody at Rikers Island jail complex and has faced various health issues. In addition to his legal troubles in New York, he was also convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022, though his lawyers have appealed the verdict. The accusations against Weinstein sparked the #MeToo movement in 2017, drawing attention to widespread sexual assault and harassment in the entertainment industry.