Harvey Weinstein’s legal professionals are afraid he’ll die throughout his incarceration at Rikers Island, the place he has been since a 2020 rape conviction in New York was overturned on enchantment, in line with The Hollywood Reporter.
In line with Weinstein’s authorized staff, the disgraced film producer has confronted egregious situations whereas jailed, together with being left to fester in blood-spattered garments, sporting the identical underwear for weeks and publicity to freezing temperatures. In addition they allege that he was denied primary drugs for most cancers remedy.
Attorneys for Weinstein say that his mistreatment has been so horrific that they believe it’s deliberate by the jail and that their consumer’s demise is the “inevitable end result”.
Final week, Weinstein’s legal professionals filed a authorized declare in opposition to New York Metropolis searching for $5m in damages. They allege that Weinstein is a sufferer of negligent medical care and is being compelled to reside in “gulag” situations.
In October, it was reported that Weinstein was recognized with power myeloid leukemia. He was finally taken to the jail ward at decrease Manhattan’s Bellevue hospital after a blood take a look at confirmed dangerously low ranges of white cells, elevating his danger of significant an infection.
Throughout the prolonged authorized proceedings, Weinstein’s authorized staff had been pushing for him to be allowed to remain full-time in a unit at Bellevue hospital. Throughout his many courtroom appearances, he would typically be introduced in by a wheelchair.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Imran H Ansari, informed the Hollywood Reporter that his visits to Rikers made him “query whether or not I used to be in a jail facility that’s alleged to be managed in accordance with our structure, or a gulag the place the prisoners are handled like animals”.
“I don’t need to be speculative, however he’s actually not simply one other inmate quantity,” stated Ansari. “I’m certain everybody is aware of that is Harvey Weinstein. This was the man who was dwelling within the lap of luxurious and was on the high of his sport in Hollywood, and right here he’s now.”
Weinstein’s retrial within the rape case on the middle of his overturned conviction is about for 2025. Rikers Island is meant to be closed in 2027, however New York Metropolis has postponed closure deadlines.
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