Credit: Alyssa Ao

Warning: mentions of sexual assault, sexual abuse and rape

What you need to know:

On April 25, Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction of rape was overturned. Weinstein, a Hollywood producer, is known for movies such as the “Scream” series, “Good Will Hunting” and “Spy Kids.” Throughout his career, there have been some instances where women have filed claims to interactions with Weinstein regarding rape and sexual assault.

Between 2004 and 2013, Weinstein was brought to court on seven charges of rape and sexual assault filed by four women. He was found guilty in Feb. 2020 of raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013 after sexually abusing former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. He is currently serving a 23 year sentence at one of New York City’s jail facilities, Rikers Island.

In a 4-3 decision, the New York Court of Appeals discovered a conflict with the original judge assigned to Weinstein’s previous case which allowed women to testify about allegations that he wasn’t on trial for. Due to this, Harvey Weinstein was able to go back to court and have his sentence overturned.

In an article published in Time, a former member of Weinstein’s legal team, Roger Archibald, stated that Weinstein’s overturned conviction is led by the 6th and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution. This means that Weinstein’s case has the right to a fast and public trial as well as making sure that every detail is proven without a doubt by a jury composed of impartial members.

Why it matters:

Weinstein will not be tried for the same charges that were a part of his #MeToo trail. That being said, any charges Weinstein was originally found not guilty of will not be included during his retrial.

The controversy surrounding Weinstein increased the #MeToo movement. The #MeToo movement is a social movement and awareness campaign against sexual abuse and sexual harassment. With the case of Weinstein overturned, this could create a threat to women in society who have been given a blind eye by the government.


Other sources to look at:

“Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction is overturned by top New York court” – Reuters

“New York’s highest court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction” – The Washington Post

“The timeline of allegations and court cases” – BBC

“Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction is overturned. Now what?” – The Economist

“Where is Harvey Weinstein now, and what’s next?” – Today

“Harvey Weinstein will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after LA sentence”- npr