A hospitalized Weinstein 'has not given up,' his lawyer says
Weinstein, 67, suffered chest pains the day before at the Rikers Island jail complex, where the former movie mogul was initially taken after sentencing in his landmark #MeToo case, officials said. He was transferred to Bellevue Hospital to be evaluated, the second time he has been hospitalized since a jury found him guilty last month of rape and sexual assault. The situation still hasnโt discouraged Weinstein, one of his lawyers said after visiting him Thursday at Bellevue. "He has not given up by any stretch of the imagination,โ said defense attorney Arthur Aidala. In his own rambling statement, Weinstein didnโt dwell on those medical issues, but he spoke about a dashed dream of building a hospital of a different sort.
Harvey Weinstein moved to NYC jail after heart procedure
Harvey Weinstein was moved Thursday to an infirmary unit at New York City's notorious Rikers Island jail complex after undergoing a heart procedure at the hospital where he'd been held since his conviction last month on rape and sexual assault charges. Weinstein was taken by ambulance to the North Infirmary Command on Rikers Island after doctors at the hospital deemed him fit enough to be moved there. Weinstein, 67, was originally supposed to go to Rikers Island immediately after his Feb. 24 conviction, but he was detoured to Bellevue Hospital amid concerns about high blood pressure and heart palpitations. Weinstein was acquitted of predatory sexual assault charges that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. A plan approved last year calls for closing the Rikers Island complex by 2026 and replacing it with four smaller jails around the city.
Challenges, distractions stymie Weinstein jury selection
Harvey Weinstein arrives at court with his attorney Donna Rotunno to attend jury selection for his sexual assault trial, Friday, Jan. 10, 2020 in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)NEW YORK, NY โ The already contentious jury selection at the trial of Harvey Weinstein was stymied by more challenges and distractions Friday: denied defense requests to disqualify numerous prospective jurors and a noisy anti-Weinstein protest. Hundreds of New Yorkers have been summoned for jury duty, with most dismissed when they indicated by a show of hands that they couldnโt keep an open mind about Weinstein. The judge a lso tried to calm nerves after hearing someone gasp when he told jury candidates it was their sacred duty to serve. He called barring the public and the press from observing the process โinconsistent with having an open, transparent jury selectionโ and โagainst the law.โThe case resumes Monday.