Topline
Harvey Weinstein’s request that his upcoming sex crimes trial in Los Angeles be delayed because of the release of a movie about the investigation into him was rejected Monday, Deadline and Variety reported.
Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein leaves the State Supreme Court on April 26, 2019 in New … [+]
Key Facts
Weinstein’s lawyer Mark Werksman requested the trial be delayed at a pre-trial hearing, saying the rollout of the movie, She Said, could taint the jury pool.
Lead prosecutor Paul Thompson said delaying the trial could push it into awards season, when the film could be in the midst of being the subject of widespread conversation again.
Los Angeles Superior Court judge Lisa Lench rejected the motion to delay.
Jury selection for Weinstein’s trial begins on October 10 and is expected to last through November, while the movie She Said will hit theaters on November 18.
She Said stars Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as the New York Times reporters who investigated the sexual harassment and abuse claims about the once-powerful Hollywood heavyweight, and based on the book, She Said.
Crucial Quote
“The timing of the movie makes it hard to assure a fair trial that is judged by the facts and not the emotions of those who see [the] film or who recall the weight of the book when it came out initially,” Weinstein’s representative Juda Engelmayer told Deadline after the hearing.
Key Background
The New York Times investigations chronicled widespread abuse from Weinstein of dozens of accusers, and the vast power system that allowed him to do so, and helped spark the #MeToo movement, which saw powerful men from other industries face accusations of abuse or mistreatment. Weinstein, 70, is facing decades in prison if convicted on 11 charges of rape and sexual assault of five women, which he pleaded not guilty to. Last year he was sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York after being convicted of rape and sexual assault. Last week, he was granted the right to an appeal in that case.
Further Reading
Harvey Weinstein Granted Appeal In New York Sex Assault Case (Forbes)
Harvey Weinstein’s LA Rape Trial Still On Track For October Start Despite ‘She Said’ Movie Debut (Deadline)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/08/29/weinstein-request-for-trial-delay-because-of-she-said-movie-rejected-by-judge/