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Harvey Weinstein taken to hospital for heart surgery

September 9, 2024

Jailed former movie producer Harvey Weinstein has been hospitalized "due to severe medical conditions," according to his representatives. The ex-mogul faces a retrial over sex crime charges later in the week.

https://p.dw.com/p/4kRP4
Harvey Weinstein in New York court
Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein suffers from numerous ailments, such as diabetes and high blood pressure Image: Kena Betancur/Pool/Getty Images

Jailed former Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein underwent emergency heart surgery at a New York City hospital on Monday, his representatives said.

It comes as he faces a retrial in a sex crimes case later this week.

What do we know about Weinstein's condition?

Weinstein, 72, was hospitalized late on Sunday "due to severe medical conditions," his publicist Juda Engelmeyer and prison consultant Craig Rothfeld said, according to AP news agency. 

"We can confirm that Mr. Weinstein had a procedure and surgery on his heart today," they said.

The two representatives did not provide additional information on Weinstein's condition.

In July, Weinstein was treated in hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia in both the lungs and COVID-19.

Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in prison in February 2023 over a rape and sexual misconduct conviction in Los Angeles. He has been held in custody in the Rikers Island jail complex in New York.

Harvey Weinstein in Los Angeles court
Prosecutors are seeking to retry Harvey Weinstein after a previous ruling was overturnedImage: Etienne Laurent/POOL/AFP/Getty Images

Weinstein due in court for retrial

The ex-movie mogul is due in court later on Thursday for a retrial of 2020 sex crime charges that had been overturned.

A New York appeals court overturned the charges against Weinstein in April and ordered a new trial. The court argued that the previous ruling had committed serious errors by admitting invalid testimony.

Prosecutors have said they may bring new sexual assault charges against Weinstein ahead of the retrial.

The 2020 trial had been seen as a landmark case for the #MeToo movement.

Weinstein was also sentenced to 16 years in 2023 for the rape of a woman in Los Angeles.

Last week, British prosecutors said that they had discontinued an indecent assault case against Weinstein, saying "there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction."

Weinstein had been facing two criminal charges of alleged indecent assault against a woman in London in 1996.

sdi/wd (AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa)