Disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein appeared in a Manhattan courtroom on April 14, 2025, as his retrial on sex crime charges began, nearly five years after his landmark 2020 conviction galvanized the #MeToo movement.
The new trial, ordered after New York’s Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein’s 23-year sentence in April 2024 for prosecutorial overreach, centers on allegations of rape and sexual assault from 2006 and 2013 involving two women, identified as Jane Roe 1 and 2. Weinstein, 73, pleaded not guilty, with his legal team arguing the case relies on “unreliable testimony.”
Prosecutors opened with emotional accounts from accusers, detailing Weinstein’s alleged abuse of power in Hollywood, while defense attorney Arthur Aidala challenged their credibility, citing inconsistent timelines. The trial, expected to last six weeks before Judge Curtis Farber, includes tighter evidence rules, excluding testimony allowed in 2020. Weinstein, using a wheelchair due to health issues, faces up to 29 years if convicted.
Over 80 women have accused him of misconduct, though most claims fall outside statutes of limitations. With 400 media credentials issued, the case has reignited debates on justice for survivors, as New York’s conviction rate for sexual assault remains below 30%, per state data.