Harvey Weinstein indicted on 11 sexual assault counts in California
Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein, who is already serving more than 20 years in prison in New York, has been indicted on sexual assault charges in California.
Weinstein was indicted on 11 counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Times reported. The grand jury indictment reportedly upheld charges that Weinstein was previously facing in connection with the alleged assault of five women from 2004 through 2013.
This indictment was a "procedural move, meant to skip a preliminary hearing and hopefully preempt potential speedy-trial issues in Weinstein's case," the Times reported.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Weinstein on Monday appeared via video at a hearing focused on whether he should be extradited to California, with his lawyer Norman Effman asking for him to be arraigned virtually, Reuters reports. Effman cited numerous medical issues Weinstein needs treatment for, saying he is "almost technically blind at this point." Effman also said that Weinstein has had four teeth removed and suffers from sleep apnea, cardiac issues, and back issues, Variety reports, but according to The Associated Press, he said prosecutors have denied his requests to delay the extradition.
Weinstein attorney Mark Werksman also alleged that prosecutors "flubbed the paperwork" that they filed seeking his extradition, the Times reports. But The Hollywood Reporter writes that Weinstein's legal team ultimately "appeared resigned to their client eventually returning to California" to face the new charges, and Effman said during the hearing, "We're not trying to avoid what will happen in California."
The judge scheduled another hearing on the matter for April 30, according to Reuters. Weinstein is also currently appealing his rape conviction in New York.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
What happens to a Democratic Party without Nancy Pelosi?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The storied former speaker of the House is set to retire, leaving congressional Democrats a complicated legacy and an uncertain future
-
The plant-based portfolio diet focuses on heart healthThe Explainer Its guidelines are flexible and vegan-friendly
-
Gregory Bovino: the officer leading Border Patrol’s aggressive tacticsIn the Spotlight He has been referred to as the Border Patrol’s ‘commander-at-large’
-
Has Zohran Mamdani shown the Democrats how to win again?Today’s Big Question New York City mayoral election touted as victory for left-wing populists but moderate centrist wins elsewhere present more complex path for Democratic Party
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
