Harvey Weinstein, the former movie magnate who fell from grace, has been urgently rushed to hospital from prison for heart surgery, as revealed by a representative of his legal team. This comes amidst a week in which New York prosecutors were planning to present evidence to a grand jury to secure new charges against him for sex crimes, according to ABC.
Despite vehemently denying any sexual activities without mutual consent, Weinstein was convicted of rape in February 2020. However, this conviction was overturned in April by the New York Court of Appeals, citing a lack of fairness in the trial due to inappropriate acceptance of testimonies from individuals whom Weinstein hadn’t been officially accused of assaulting.
The former Hollywood producer, aged 72, was transported to hospital from Rikers Island jail in New York City, where he’s detained, stated a representative of his attorney, Arthur Aidala, to the PA news agency. U.S. media outlets reported that Weinstein had been dealing with chest pain.
Weinstein’s incarceration comes from a rape and sexual misconduct conviction in Los Angeles, tied to a 2013 episode where he intruded into a woman’s hotel room without invitation during a Los Angeles film festival. He received a 16-year prison sentence in February 2023.
Health issues seen in Weinstein include diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal stenosis, and fluid accumulation in his heart and lungs. Weinstein representatives also stated to ABC that he contracted Covid-19 and double pneumonia recently. – PA/Reuters.