Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction for felony sex crimes has been canceled by New York’s highest court on Thursday, which shocked many. However, this shock quickly turned into anger on the internet.
The New York State Court of Appeals determined that the judge in the trial made a mistake by allowing testimony about previous alleged sexual acts that were not part of the charges, which influenced the jury.
This aspect caused the most anger, as many believed that previous accusations were important in showing his true character.
“Wait, did I read that right? Harvey Weinstein had his rape conviction overturned because his lawyers argued that there was too much evidence of his bad character and too many women came forward with their own experiences?” one person wrote. “Forget it. Seriously. This legal system is a mess.”
Weinstein, who is now 71, has already spent about four years in prison of his original 23-year sentence in a prison in upstate Rome, New York. However, a retrial has been ordered, leading many to worry about the women who may have to testify against him again.
“This is what victims mean when they say the 'justice system' re-traumatizes them,” one person wrote.
“Harvey Weinstein – the last effort of a self-absorbed emptiness desperate to have the final say,” another person commented. “His victims will have to go through it all over again and for what? He's a rapist. He is unapologetic. I hope he suffers.”
Despite this, Weinstein will stay in prison for now, as he was also convicted last year for different sexual assault and rape charges, resulting in a 16-year prison sentence.
You can find more online reactions to the reversal below.
