The incarcerated producer's lawyer insists that they are not trying to avoid sexual assault claims against him in California, but notes that one of the charges had been 'changed somewhat.'
- Apr 13, 2021
AceShowbiz - Harvey Weinstein's long delayed extradition hearing in upstate New York has been put on hold again.
A hearing about the disgraced filmmaker's transfer from an East Coast correctional facility to Los Angeles to face more sexual assault claims against him has been pushed to April 30 due to objections by the incarcerated producer's lawyer.
Sources tell Deadline Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon and his team are keen to fast-track a potential Weinstein trial.
Confirming the indictment during Monday's hearing, Weinstein's attorney, Norman Effman, said one of the charges against his client had been "changed somewhat."
If found guilty in Los Angeles, Weinstein could face decades more behind bars. He faces four counts of rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, one count of sexual penetration by use of force, and two counts of sexual battery by restraint.
"We're not trying to avoid what is going to happen in California," Effman added. "We believe there is not only a defence to these charges, we believe there is a very good defence to these charges [and] we believe there will be an acquittal... Mr. Weinstein isn't going anywhere."
The producer watched the proceedings in a conference room from the maximum security Wende Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York.
The hearing came a week after Weinstein filed an appeal on the 23-year sentence he began serving in March 2020 after being found guilty of two sex crime felony charges.
Meanwhile, Weinstein's lawyer argued against his client being sent to Los Angeles for "humanitarian" reasons, explaining the producer is technically blind, has major dental issues and is suffering from cardiac issues, diabetes, back pain and sleep apnea.
For all of these reasons, Weinstein's team asked the judge to allow him to remain at the medical unit he's been confined to at the maximum-security prison, where he's serving his sentence for rape.
