Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers have insisted he will die in prison if he is not released.
Harvey Weinstein
The 68-year-old disgraced movie mogul is currently serving a 23-year sentence at Wende Correctional Facility after being found guilty of third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act in New York earlier this year.
But his legal team are campaigning to have him freed from prison, because they think his “chances of surviving” his sentence are “rather low”, due to his ongoing health issues, which include diabetic retinopathy, coronary artery disease and spinal stenosis, or pressure on his back nerves, which causes a dragging foot.
During a hearing on Friday (16.10.20) to discuss whether Weinstein should be freed on bail pending an appeal of his recent conviction, his lawyer Barry Kamins told Judge Angela Mazzarelli: “[Weinstein’s] physical and mental condition has so deteriorated, I do not think it’s an overstatement to say that if he is not released as part of this application, his chances of surviving in prison are rather low.
“The defendant is almost blind, and he’s not ambulatory, and he’s on 20 medications.”
Weinstein’s legal team applied for $2 million bail last week, pending the outcome of the appeal of his case, which has not yet been filed.
However, even if a judge approved his bail, Weinstein would have to post another $5 million bail for his separate Los Angeles sex-crimes case before he could be freed.
In LA, the mogul faces 11 counts of rape, sexual battery and other charges in connection to alleged attacks on five women.
The former head of The Weinstein Company and Miramax will be subjected to an extradition hearing on December 11, which comes after the hearing was moved as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
If convicted on all charges, Weinstein could face up to 140 years to life in prison.
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