The Latest: Appeal court won't stop secret Weinstein hearing
NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on a pretrial hearing in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault case (all times local):
4:05 p.m.
Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault trial has been postponed until Sept. 9.
A New York City judge announced the delay Friday following a closed-door hearing that focused on trial strategy and potential witnesses.
Weinstein’s trial had been scheduled to begin June 3.
The movie mogul is charged with raping an unidentified female acquaintance in his Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and performing a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.
Prosecutors want Judge James Burke to allow some of Weinstein’s dozens of other accusers to testify in an attempt to show he has a history of violating women.
Weinstein denies all allegations of wrongdoing.
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1:50 p.m.
An appeals judge has declined to halt a pretrial hearing being held behind closed doors in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault case.
Media lawyers made the request for an emergency stay Friday after the judge in Weinstein’s case ordered the New York courtroom closed to protect the movie mogul’s right to a fair trial.
While allowing the hearing to proceed, Appellate Division Justice Jeffrey Oing did grant news organizations an expedited appeal and ordered parties to file briefs by Wednesday.
Both the prosecution and defense asked to hold Friday’s hearing behind closed doors because in involves sensitive matters, such as the names of women who have accused Weinstein of violating them.
The news organizations want access to a transcript of the hearing and to related documents that were filed under seal.
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10:55 a.m.
Media lawyers are trying to get an emergency order to halt a pretrial hearing after a Manhattan judge decided to close the courtroom in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault case.
Judge James Burke ruled on Friday after arguments from the prosecution and the defense, both of whom wanted the courtroom closed, and from lawyers for news organizations, who have been fighting to keep it open.
The state judge had also denied a request to delay the pretrial hearing until next week to give news organizations time to appeal. The media lawyers headed immediately to an appeals court to seek an emergency order to halt the hearing.
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10:30 a.m.
A federal judge in Manhattan has decided to close the courtroom for Harvey Weinstein’s pretrial hearing.
Judge James Burke ruled on Friday after arguments from the prosecution and the defense, both of whom wanted the courtroom closed, and from lawyers for news organizations, who have been fighting to keep it open.
Burke also denied a request to delay the pretrial hearing until next week to give news organizations time to appeal.
Weinstein is charged with raping an unidentified female acquaintance in his Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and performing a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.
Prosecutors want some of his dozens of other accusers to testify in an attempt to show Weinstein has a history of violating women.
Weinstein denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex.
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10:10 a.m.
A judge in Manhattan is considering whether to close the courtroom for Harvey Weinstein’s pretrial hearing.
Judge James Burke heard arguments on Friday from the prosecution and the defense, both of whom want the courtroom closed, and from lawyers for news organizations, who are fighting to keep it open.
Weinstein is charged with raping an unidentified female acquaintance in his Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and performing a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.
Prosecutors want some of his dozens of other accusers to testify in an attempt to show Weinstein has a history of violating women.
Weinstein denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex.
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9:25 a.m.
Harvey Weinstein is back at a Manhattan courthouse for a pretrial hearing in his sexual assault case.
Weinstein, who’s free on $1 million bail, shuffled into a courtroom on Friday, trailed by his lawyer.
When asked in the hallway outside court how he’s doing, Weinstein merely nodded.
Both the prosecution and defense have asked that the hearing be held behind closed doors. News organizations are fighting the effort.
Weinstein is charged with raping an unidentified female acquaintance in his Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and performing a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.
Prosecutors want to have some of his dozens of other accusers testify in an attempt to show Weinstein has a history of violating women.
Weinstein denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex.
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1:10 a.m.
An important pretrial hearing in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault case could play out in secret if a judge rules against news organizations fighting to keep the courtroom open.
Both the prosecution and defense have asked that Friday’s hearing dealing with trial strategy and potential witnesses be held behind closed doors.
They say they want to protect Weinstein’s right to a fair trial and shield the identities of women who’ve accused the disgraced movie mogul of wrongdoing.
Lawyers for the news organizations, including The Associated Press and The New York Times, are due to appear before Judge James Burke before he rules.
They argue that the sides haven’t met a high legal standard for closing
Weinstein denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex.
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This story has been corrected to show that the hearing is in a state court and not a federal court.
The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.
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