Grinning Harvey Weinstein appears in court ahead of looming #MeToo retrial

A grinning but frail Harvey Weinstein has made a shock appearance in a Manhattan court ahead of his #MeToo retrial.

The 72-year-old sex offender was rolled into court in a wheelchair and flashed a a grin exposing gaps in his smile likely caused by his teeth rotting behind bars. The disgraced movie producer’s lawyer called for him to be given a “fresh eye” when he is retried for rape and sexual assault.

The #MeToo retrial, expected to last up to five weeks, will largely be an abridged version of the original, with one big addition: a charge based on an allegation from a woman who wasn’t a part of the first case.

Weinstein, who did not speak at the hearing, is serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted on separate rape charges in California.

His New York conviction in 2020 was for the rape and sexual assault of an actress and for forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant.

He was sentenced to 23 years in prison in that case.

But the New York Court of Appeals overturned the conviction.

The judge in the case, Curtis Farber, said “everything is being done anew.”

Judge Farber met with the prosecution and defence behind closed doors to discuss matters still under seal.

Those included a prosecution request that two of the three accusers in the case be allowed to testify about other alleged encounters with Weinstein. They also discussed evidence of the accusers’ sexual history, which prosecutors say should be barred under New York’s Rape Shield Law.

Weinstein’s retrial is scheduled to start April 15 in state court in Manhattan — nearly a year after New York’s highest court overturned his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges.

The retrial will hear testimony from Dawn Hughes, a psychologist with expertise in traumatic stress and domestic violence

Judge Farber granted a request from the Manhattan district attorneyto call Ms Hughes, who previously testified for Amber Heard at Johnny Depp’s libel trial and for the prosecution at R. Kelly’s sex-trafficking trial.

At his last court appearance, in January, Weinstein implored Farber to start the retrial sooner. He told the judge “I don’t know how much longer I can hold on” with cancer, heart issues and harsh conditions at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex, where he is locked up. He previously complained about his dental treatment in prison saying his teeth were pulled out by jail staff.

Allegations against Weinstein helped launch the #MeToo movement.

More than 80 women accused him of harassment, sexual assault or rape, including prominent actors Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd.

Weinstein claimed any sexual relations in question were consensual.

Weinstein and his brother Bob co-founded Miramax Films.

Their hits included 1994’s Pulp Fiction and 1998’s Shakespeare in Love,for which Weinstein shared a best picture Oscar.