Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction was overturned by New York’s highest court, citing the trial judge’s prejudicial handling of the landmark #MeToo movement case. The 4–3 decision on April 25 highlighted the judge’s “egregious” missteps, including allowing testimony on allegations unrelated to the case, prompting the court to order a new trial.
This decision reignites a painful episode in America’s confrontation with sexual misconduct by influential individuals, a saga sparked by a deluge of accusations against Mr. Weinstein starting in 2017. The majority opinion in the Court of Appeals condemned the admission of unproven allegations, emphasizing that such actions merely tarnish a defendant’s character without bearing relevance to their credibility concerning the charges at hand.
