Disgraced film manufacturer Harvey Weinstein appealed his rape conviction Monday, asserting that he had been made a"media celebrity" and attempted in a"highly volatile and prejudicial atmosphere" that neglected to shield his right to a fair trial with an unbiased jury.
Weinstein, after a potent figure in Hollywood, was convicted a year of rape and sexual assault and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
From the appeal, defense lawyers said Weinstein's trial was tainted by a juror who'd published a novel regarding the predations of elderly guys against younger girls.
"Though the defense raised valid questions about whether Juror No. 11 was fit to function, the trial court failed to discharge its constitutional responsibility to conduct a complete inquiry to make sure that the juror was capable of producing a fair and impartial verdict," the defense composed.
The defense also claimed that it was improper for girls aside from the key accusers to have been permitted to testify and to get the judge to have volunteered a defense specialist who would have contested the accounts of their victims.
"Their motives of the reason they capitulated, continued to watch himhave intercourse with him, email himintroduce him for their parents and friends, and ask favors are implausible, but the trial court gave them a venire of authenticity by allowing over vociferous objection, expert testimony by a psychologist that these behaviours were trivial for victims of sexual assault and such sufferers don't lie and forget, although it precluded the defense against admitting expert testimony to rebut her asserts," the defense said.
Weinstein's lawyers said the prison sentence was unduly harsh since he wasn't judged according to who he is but how he had been cast from the media.
"Regrettably for Mr. Weinstein, the trial court reflects on Mr. Weinstein, the guy, and the behavior for which he had been convicted, however on Mr. Weinstein the media protagonist," the defense said.
Weinstein's lawyers said the prison sentence had been unduly harsh becausethey arguedhe wasn't judged according to who he is but how he had been cast from the media.
The Manhattan DA's office chosen to save its answer for the Appellate Division's First Department.
