NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – – Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, 72, is reportedly recovering and “out of danger” after undergoing emergency heart surgery. This news was confirmed by his representative, Juda Engelmayer, who spoke to AFP.
Weinstein, who is currently incarcerated at New York’s Rikers Island prison, was rushed to the hospital from the prison overnight between Sunday and Monday for an urgent operation. “He’s resting. He’s weak,” Engelmayer said, adding that Weinstein is now out of immediate danger.
The former movie mogul is serving multiple prison sentences across different cases. In December last year, a California court handed down a 16-year sentence for raping and sexually assaulting an Italian model and actor during a 2013 film festival. Additionally, Weinstein was previously convicted in New York in 2020 for the rape and sexual assault of actor Jessica Mann and for forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant. He was sentenced to 23 years for these crimes.
However, in a surprising turn of events, his New York conviction was overturned by an appeals court in April, a significant setback in a case that had been pivotal to the #MeToo movement. Weinstein is now awaiting a retrial for these charges, with prosecutors indicating the possibility of introducing new sexual assault charges against him ahead of the retrial. He was due to attend a procedural hearing for the retrial Thursday.
In the meantime, Weinstein’s legal team has also sought a retrial in the California case. Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s attorney, highlighted in July that the former producer’s health had notably deteriorated during his time in prison. Weinstein has made court appearances in a wheelchair, appearing frail and pale.
The allegations against Weinstein, which more than 80 women, including notable actors such as Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ashley Judd have lodged, played a monumental role in igniting the #MeToo movement in 2017. This was a watershed moment in the battle against sexual misconduct.
Despite these numerous allegations, Weinstein maintains that all sexual encounters in question were consensual.
