Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction overturned: Could LA case be next?

Harvey Weinstein's lawyers may leverage the overturned NY conviction as precedent when challenging his LA case.

Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie mogul who is serving a hefty sentence, now faces the possibility of his Los Angeles conviction being overturned. 

This follows New York's Court of Appeals overturning his original conviction, citing unfair prejudice caused by extraneous witness testimony.

Weinstein's legal team could argue that his LA trial was similarly tainted by 'prior bad acts' witnesses, who alleged assaults unrelated to the charged offenses. 

Attorney Jennifer Bonjean, handling Weinstein's California appeal, believes the NY ruling bolsters their case. “At the time the jury was deciding the evidence in California, they were working under the assumption and the belief that he had properly been convicted in New York,” said Bonjean. “Now we know that’s not true.”

The prosecution in LA had a wider pool of additional witnesses, a factor that contributed to Weinstein's 16-year sentence. However, the defense warned at the time that this approach could make the conviction vulnerable to appeal.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office remains confident the conviction will be upheld due to California law explicitly allowing such testimony. However, Evgeniya Chernyshova's lawyer, whose case led to the LA conviction, believes the NY ruling won't significantly impact the outcome.

Beyond the appeal, Weinstein's defense seeks to reduce his remaining sentence by counting the four years already served and adjusting his status to "first-time" offender. Meanwhile, the Manhattan DA plans to retry Weinstein, adding to his legal battles.