Harvey Weinstein transferred to Los Angeles to face rape and sex assault charges
- The Hollywood producer has been serving a 23-year prison sentence for sexual assault in New York since last year
- Weinstein is accused in Los Angeles of rape and sexual assault of five women, which could land him in prison for an additional 140 years
Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been serving a 23-year prison sentence for sexual assault in New York since last year, was on his way to Los Angeles on Tuesday for a second trial in which he will face new charges.
The once all-powerful Hollywood producer – whose downfall was seen as a major victory for the #MeToo movement – is accused in Los Angeles of the rape and sexual assault of five women, which could land him in prison for up to an additional 140 years.
The 69-year-old left the Wende prison in upstate New York just before 9.30am local time and was handed over “to the appropriate officials for transport to the state of California per a court order”, a spokesman for the New York prison authorities said in a statement.
Weinstein’s lawyers had argued for weeks against the transfer on medical grounds.
But in June New York judge Kenneth Case rejected their arguments and gave the green light to his transfer.