Harvey Weinstein squares up for retrial

Harvey Weinstein is facing a retrial in the New York rape case that became a pivotal moment for the Me Too movement.

Today, 15 April, sees the return to the same courthouse that saw him tried, convicted, and sentenced to 23 years in prison in March 2020 for sexually assaulting two women.

The retrial officially kicks off with jury selection which is expected to take four or five days.

Opening statements are likely to start the week of April 21 and the case will run for four to six weeks.

Despite Weinstein's conviction at a separate rape trial in Los Angeles, he was able to successfully appeal his New York verdict.

Weinstein is being tried on a total of three counts: two of criminal sexual acts in the first degree and one of rape in the third degree. Two of the women were accusers in Weinstein's first trial. One of the criminal-sexual-act counts involves a woman who did not testify at his first trial and whose identity has not been publicly disclosed.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A rep for Weinstein told Vulture, "Harvey looks forward to a swift and fair trial that will finally bring an end to this prolonged cycle of litigation, accusations, and media-driven narratives. He is confident that the evidence and testimony from the complainants will make clear his innocence of the charges."