Judge denies Harvey Weinstein's bid to move up rape trial start

MANHATTAN (CN) — Harvey Weinstein unsuccessfully begged a Manhattan judge Wednesday to move up his trial date, claiming he’s not sure he’ll live until the spring when his rape trial is set to take place.

“Every day I’m at Rikers Island, it’s a miracle I’m still walking,” Weinstein told New York Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber.

The disgraced Hollywood film producer will be retried for sex crimes he was convicted of in 2020, when a Manhattan jury found him guilty of committing a criminal sexual act and third-degree rape. That same jury acquitted him of the more serious first-degree rape offense and two counts of predatory sexual assault.

The New York Court of Appeals overturned his conviction last year, finding that the trial judge allowed prejudicial testimony against Weinstein.

He will face an additional charge of a criminal sexual act in the first degree, to which he pleaded not guilty last September.

Farber denied Weinstein’s bid to dismiss the new charge Wednesday, refuting the former film producer’s claims that prosecutors unduly delayed charging him.

“The court has inspected the grand jury minutes and found them to be sufficient,” Farber said.

Weinstein’s trial is set for April 15. Despite Weinstein’s pleas, Farber said he could not move the trial to an earlier date because he is scheduled to preside over a murder trial that is “set in stone.”

“I can’t hold on anymore,” Weinstein said. “I’m holding on because I want justice for myself and I want this to be over with.”

Weinstein added that he knows he’s not the only person suffering at Rikers Island, going so far as to call the heavily criticized New York City jail complex a “medieval situation.”

Rikers Island facilities have faced increasing scrutiny for years, as a drawn-out federal receivership process has failed to effectively curb excessive violence and misconduct at the jail facility.

“It remains, it remains, it remains a stain on this city,” Weinstein said.

Weinstein, who has cancer and underwent emergency heart surgery in September, cited his worsening health conditions as reason to expedite his trial.

“I’m begging the court to move your date so we can have that date instead and proceed with this trial as quickly as we can and get out of this hell hole,” Weinstein said.

Juda Engelmayer, a longtime spokesperson for Weinstein, said in a statement that they appreciate the judge’s consideration of his health conditions.

“The judge was responsive and we appreciate his consideration for Harvey’s condition and position,” Engelmayer said. “We expect a quick and speedy trial, and we believe Harvey will be exonerated.”

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office declined to comment.

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