The Harvey Weinstein conviction reversal on Thursday may affect future #MeToo cases in New York, but it probably won’t upset the former movie mogul’s conviction in California, legal experts told TheWrap.
Four out of seven New York State Court of Appeals judges voted on Thursday to overturn Weinstein’s 2020 convictions on the rape of an actress in 2013 and criminal sexual behavior against a production assistant in 2006, based on the inclusion of what are called Molineux witnesses — alleged victims who testified against Weinstein despite their cases not being included in his trial.
This means that future #MeToo cases are unlikely to use witnesses who establish the context of prior alleged bad acts in cases of sexual misconduct.