Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein appealed his sex crimes conviction on Monday.
Weinstein’s lawyers said the entertainment mogul did not receive a fair trial in the 166-page appeal, according to Fox News. The lawyers mostly claimed Manhattan Supreme Court Justice James Burke “woefully neglected” to give Weinstein a fair trial, the outlet reported.
New: Harvey Weinstein has filed his long-expected appeal, which takes direct aim at the testimony of several women who testified against him during his trial. https://t.co/DulHxXyVS3
— Jonah Bromwich (@Jonesieman) April 5, 2021
The appeal shared seven points in favor of Weinstein receiving a new trial and claimed Weinstein was given a “death sentence,” according to the Wall Street Journal. (RELATED: Bankruptcy Judge Approves Harvey Weinstein’s Sexual Assault Settlement)
The appeal also said Judge Burke “shouldn’t have permitted testimony from four women whose sexual allegations hadn’t resulted in criminal charges.”
The lawyers argued the testimony from the four women led to Weinstein being characterized “as loathsome” and had nothing to do with the charges he faced in court, Fox News reported.
“With a year behind us and emotions subsided, the transcript of the case confirms what we always believed: that Mr. Weinstein did not receive a fair trial,” Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala said, according to Fox News. “We have the utmost confidence that the Appellate Division will correct these mistakes and send this case back before a different judge.”
Weinstein’s lawyers also pointed to a juror who was reportedly writing a book about predatory male teachers called “Age Of Consent.”
“Clearly, the fact that the prospective juror had written a book that involves sexual relationships between women and ‘predatory older men’ – the very accusation against Mr. Weinstein – is something that should have been disclosed, even absent a direct question,” the appeal stated.
Weinstein is currently serving his 23-year prison sentence after he was convicted of rape in the third degree and committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree in February of 2020. The jury decided to acquit Weinstein on the charges of rape in the first degree and predatory sexual assault, as previously reported.
Weinstein faces more sexual assault charges in Los Angeles.