Pale, Weak & Sick - Harvey Weinstein Appearance Ahead of Trial

It has been exactly one month now since Harvey Weinstein appeared in the court for a bail hearing that was necessitated by law - and it was now that Weinstein made his next appearance.

However, he looked pale, enfeebled on a cane or taking the help of an assistant barely able to stand or walk. He was hobbling, limping and was dressed in an ill-fitted grey suit - his hair was also thinning. 

“This is tough,” said Donna Rotunno, one of Weinstein’s defense attorneys. “This is tough on anybody going through this and dealing with the scrutiny not only in the courtroom but in the court of public opinion.” She added that Weinstein has been dealing with back issues.

A New York judge said Friday that Weinstein’s $1 million bail will remain the same for now. Another hearing to determine his bail will continue on Wednesday. Weinstein was forced into court, due to an overhaul to New York’s criminal justice system, set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, just a few days before the disgraced Hollywood mogul’s high-profile sexual assault trial is set to begin. The new changes in New York will include eliminating bail for nonviolent felonies and expediting the timeframe for prosecutors to supply evidence to the defense. Prosecutors argued that Weinstein presents a flight risk due to his wealth and that his bail should be increased to $5 million. They noted that he has had dozens and dozens of violations with his ankle monitor and that investigators have been sent to his home in Bedford, New York on multiple occasions.

Weinstein faces five sex crimes charges of rape and sexual assault from two separate incidents in 2006 when he was alleged to have performed a forcible sexual act on a woman, and in 2013 when he was alleged to have raped a different woman in a Manhattan hotel room. In addition to the two alleged victims, the jury is expected to hear from other alleged victims, including The Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra, whom the judge has allowed to testify that Weinstein raped her 26 years ago. Jurors were recently told that the upcoming trial will last up to two months.

Weinstein has plead not guilty and maintains that any sexual activity was consensual. If convicted, Weinstein could face life in prison. The allegations of sexual abuse against Weinstein set off a widespread reckoning in the media and entertainment business, galvanized the #MeToo movement