Harvey Weinstein has been extradited from New York to Los Angeles to face charges in a second rape trial, where he is facing 11 sexual assault charges involving five women in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.
Weinstein is due in California court on Wednesday for arraignment.
“This morning at approximately 9:25 custody of Mr. Harvey Weinstein was handed over to the appropriate officials for transport to the state of California per a court order,” a New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision spokesperson said in a statement.
Weinstein’s lawyers had fought efforts to bring him to California and his extradition had been delayed repeatedly, due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and also because of claims that the L.A. County district attorney’s office had an issue with his extradition paperwork. That issue has since been resolved.
Weinstein faces up to 140 years to life in prison if convicted in this new trial. The charges, which include rape and sexual battery, stem from five incidents that took place between 2004 and 2013.
Harvey Weinstein was incarcerated at the Wende Correctional Facility after being found guilty of rape and a criminal sexual act in February 2020. Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in New York state prison.
Los Angeles D.A. Jackie Lacey filed multiple counts of sexual assault against the Miramax co-founder shortly before jury selection for his New York trial began, and prosecutors in October added an additional six charges involving two additional alleged victims.
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