British prosecutors have formally discontinued indecent assault costs towards former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, concluding there is no such thing as a lifelike prospect of conviction. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had initially approved costs two years in the past, associated to an alleged assault in London in August 1996. The accuser, now in her 50s, had introduced forth the case towards Weinstein in the course of the peak of the #MeToo motion.
“Following a evaluate of the proof on this case, the CPS has determined to discontinue felony proceedings towards Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has an obligation to maintain all instances beneath steady evaluate, and we have now decided that there is no such thing as a longer a practical prospect of conviction,” mentioned Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’ Particular Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, as quoted by Reuters. Including that each one concerned events had been knowledgeable of the choice, CPS additionally issued a press release and mentioned, “We’d at all times encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to return ahead and report back to police, and we’ll prosecute wherever our authorized take a look at is met.”
The information comes within the wake of Weinstein’s authorized battles within the US, the place he was sentenced to 23 years in jail after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in 2020—a verdict seen as pivotal for the #MeToo motion. Nonetheless, that conviction was overturned by the New York Courtroom of Appeals in April 2024, citing unfair trial situations. A retrial is anticipated later this 12 months.
Weinstein was additionally convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022 and sentenced to 16 years. This conviction stays intact, and Weinstein has but to serve the California sentence. He continues to disclaim all allegations, sustaining that each one sexual encounters had been consensual.
“Following a evaluate of the proof on this case, the CPS has determined to discontinue felony proceedings towards Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has an obligation to maintain all instances beneath steady evaluate, and we have now decided that there is no such thing as a longer a practical prospect of conviction,” mentioned Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’ Particular Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, as quoted by Reuters. Including that each one concerned events had been knowledgeable of the choice, CPS additionally issued a press release and mentioned, “We’d at all times encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to return ahead and report back to police, and we’ll prosecute wherever our authorized take a look at is met.”
The information comes within the wake of Weinstein’s authorized battles within the US, the place he was sentenced to 23 years in jail after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in 2020—a verdict seen as pivotal for the #MeToo motion. Nonetheless, that conviction was overturned by the New York Courtroom of Appeals in April 2024, citing unfair trial situations. A retrial is anticipated later this 12 months.
Weinstein was additionally convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022 and sentenced to 16 years. This conviction stays intact, and Weinstein has but to serve the California sentence. He continues to disclaim all allegations, sustaining that each one sexual encounters had been consensual.