Weinstein back in court after emergency heart surgery

Harvey Weinstein was in critical condition in recent days and had to undergo emergency heart surgery. The producer, who has been convicted, is still facing legal proceedings with new allegations against him.

Harvey Weinstein has been in prison for several years and has been attending successive trials. He has already been sentenced to 16 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of several women, but the case of the former Hollywood producer is not over. Weinstein was waiting for another trial while detained on Rikers Island. At the beginning of September this year, he was suddenly taken to the hospital. According to the media, he was in critical condition, and heart surgery was necessary.

Weinstein's representatives released a statement regarding his health: "We can confirm that Mr Weinstein had a procedure and surgery on his heart today, however [we] cannot comment any further than that. As we have extensively stated before, Mr Weinstein suffers a plethora of significant health issues that need ongoing treatment. We are grateful to the executive team at the New York City Department of Correction and Rikers Island for acting swiftly in taking him to Bellevue Hospital."

The former producer's poor health was not a reason to stop the court's work. As reported by outlets such as "Variety," Weinstein faced new charges, this time in New York. These charges were announced at a Thursday, September 12 hearing without the defendant present.

Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, told the judge that his client "almost died." During the hearing, it was stated that the new charges would not be disclosed to the public until Weinstein could personally appear in court. However, it is said that they are concerned about allegations of sexual violence that occurred in 2005.

It should be noted that Weinstein's case is particularly complicated. The producer was convicted of rape and sexual assault in 2020 (he was held accountable for forcing sex on his assistant Mimi Haley and raping actress Jessica Mann). He was then sentenced to 23 years in prison. In the spring of 2024, the court overturned the verdict on one charge. A retrial was scheduled for mid-November. However, everything indicates that the story will drag on longer because the trial date is still postponed. After the New York trial, Weinstein is expected to return to serving his 16-year prison sentence.