New York’s highest court overturned the conviction of former Hollywood film producer Weinstein on numerous counts of rape and sexual assault against women. Ashley Judd, the first actor to come forward with allegations against Weinstein, said the ruling was an “institutional betrayal.”
New York’s highest court has overturned Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction with a narrow vote of 4 to 3. The court determined that in the pivotal #MeToo case, the presiding judge had displayed bias against Weinstein through improper rulings.
The decision, which found that judicial discretion was abused, highlighted instances where the judge permitted women to testify about allegations not directly related to the case.
This ruling could require those accusing Weinstein to retell their stories on the witness stand.
Weinstein, who is already serving a 16-year sentence for rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles since February 2022, will remain in prison. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has indicated their intention to pursue a retrial against Weinstein.
“We live in our truth“
The decision of the New York Court of Appeals is seen as a blow to the #MeToo movement. Ashley Judd, the first actor to come forward with allegations against Weinstein, said the ruling was an “institutional betrayal”. “This today is an act of institutional betrayal, and our institutions betray survivors of male sexual violence”, she said.
While sharing an article that stated that Weinstein’s 23-year sentence for rape had been overturned in an Instagram story, Judd wrote: “This is unfair to survivors. We live in our truth. We know what happened.”
Tarana Burke, who launched a global campaign against sexual abuse following the initial allegations against Weinstein, expressed devastation for the victims associated with the case and those who found some solace in the initial verdict against Weinstein during a press conference held after the ruling. Burke emphasized that despite the decision, the #MeToo movement persists.
“Ten years ago we could not get a man like Harvey Weinstein into a courtroom. ” said Burke. Since his arrest, millions of victims of sexual violence have found the strength and courage to speak out and share their stories as well, she said.
“That will always be the victory. This doesn’t change that,” she said while urging the movement’s supporters to keep standing up and using their voices.