By LARRY NEUMEISTER (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — One-time movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was returned to a New York City jail after a news report suggested he was receiving special treatment at a hospital during his 10-day stay.
Weinstein's publicist, Juda Engelmeyer, stated that Weinstein was transferred from Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan to an infirmary at Rikers Island jail complex late Monday.
This relocation occurred following a report by The City, a nonprofit news outlet, which claimed Weinstein was staying in a private room in the hospital’s intensive care unit with a television, phone, and a bathroom, rather than the floor where inmates are typically housed.
Engelmeyer refuted the claim, stating that Weinstein did not receive special treatment and was not housed in what could be considered a hospital suite. He explained that Weinstein was on the same floor as the other inmates and had access to a room with phones and a television.
Engelmeyer stated, “He’s been moved back to Rikers largely due to pressure, I believe, due to pressure because of the news about what somebody thought was VIP treatment.”
Weinstein was taken to Bellevue Hospital shortly after being transferred from the Mohawk Correctional Facility to Rikers on April 26, less than a day after his conviction was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals. The appeals court ruled that the trial judge allowed jurors to see and hear too much evidence not directly related to the charges he faced, leading to a new trial and negating his 23-year prison sentence. However, he remained jailed because he was.
convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape and received a 16-year prison sentence While the prosecutors have requested a retrial in September on charges that he forcibly performed oral sex on a TV and film production assistant in 2006 and raped an aspiring actor in 2013, it was unclear if key trial witnesses would return for a new trial. Weinstein has denied the allegations..
According to Frank Dwyer, a New York City Department of Correction spokesperson, Weinstein was initially taken to Bellevue for medical care and returned to the West Facility at Rikers Island after completing the treatment.
The West Facility includes 140 housing units with controlled air for inmates with contagious diseases like tuberculosis. This facility has also been used to isolate inmates from the general jail population for other reasons.
Craig Rothfeld, a jail consultant working with Weinstein's attorneys, responded to an email sent to a Weinstein lawyer by stating that the decision to return Weinstein to Rikers was made by medical staff with the necessary qualifications.
He added that there are no further updates on Weinstein’s health, and that all of his health conditions continue to be closely monitored by city jail and health officials.
Rothfeld expressed complete trust in the decision-making abilities of the authorities regarding Mr. Weinstein’s safety and well-being, and appreciated their ongoing communication.
Weinstein had received treatment at the hospital for pneumonia, a recurring problem related to his heart issues, as well as other medical problems such as diabetes.
He was grateful for the care he received at Bellevue, according to Engelmeyer.
Weinstein was unhappy about being back at Rikers and felt uncomfortable there. The spokesperson described Weinstein’s accommodations as being more like an infirmary.
During his time at the hospital, Weinstein regularly talked to his lawyers over the phone, just like other inmates awaiting trial are allowed to do.
Engelmeyer mentioned that Weinstein didn’t receive any special treatment and wasn’t socializing with friends during his time at the hospital.
Weinstein found some comfort and optimism from the appeals ruling, but he’s aware that he is facing a long prison term in the California case. The appeal of that conviction won’t be heard for another year.
Engelmeyer stated that Weinstein’s spirits are lifted, but he knows that he has a long journey ahead of him, and that he won’t be getting out of prison soon.
By LARRY NEUMEISTER (Associated Press) NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein, the former movie mogul, was sent back to a New York City jail as a result of a report claiming he was receiving special treatment during his 10-day hospital stay, according to his publicist, Juda Engelmeyer.
