Washington [US], December 3 : Former filmmaker Harvey Weinstein, a convicted rapist has been urgently transferred to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan after suffering a significant health setback, reportedly linked to alarming blood test results.
The news confirmed by Deadline, comes just days after Weinstein filed a lawsuit against the City of New York and others, accusing them of subjecting him to "deplorable conditions" at the notorious Rikers Island jail.
Weinstein, who has been battling multiple health issues, including leukaemia, has previously been treated at Bellevue, which has become a regular destination since his conviction on sex crimes in 2020.
According to Weinstein's attorney, Imran H Ansari's statement obtained by Deadline, the 72-year-old's medical condition deteriorated due to a lack of adequate care while incarcerated.
"Harvey Weinstein, who has been suffering from a lack of adequate medical care and enduring deplorable and inhumane conditions on Rikers Island, has been transported to Bellevue Hospital for emergent treatment due to an alarming blood test result that requires immediate medical attention," Ansari said in a statement, adding, "It is expected that he will remain there until his condition stabilizes. His deprivation of care is not only medical malpractice, but a violation of his constitutional rights."
Weinstein, who is currently facing a retrial in New York for sex crimes, is also involved in a USD 5 million lawsuit over the state of Rikers Island, a facility described as dilapidated and overcrowded.
Filed last week, the lawsuit claims the prison's poor conditions have exacerbated Weinstein's medical conditions. His legal team argues that this mistreatment qualifies as "cruel and unusual punishment," as per Deadline.
Juda Engelmayer, Weinstein's public relations representative, reiterated the gravity of his client's situation. "Mr Weinstein, who is suffering from a number of illnesses, including leukaemia, has been deprived of the medical attention that someone in his medical state deserves, prisoner or not," Engelmayer said, adding, "In many ways, this mistreatment constitutes cruel and unusual punishment," as per Deadline.
This marks the third time in recent months that Weinstein has been hospitalized.
In July, he was treated at Bellevue for COVID-19 and pneumonia, and in September, he underwent heart surgery after nearly dying from a serious health issue. In addition to leukaemia, Weinstein was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in late October.
Weinstein's health struggles continue to complicate his legal battles. Convicted in 2020 for raping actress Jessica Mann and sexually assaulting production assistant Miriam Haley, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
However, a New York appeals court overturned his conviction in April 2024, citing errors made by prosecutors during the trial.
Despite this legal setback, Weinstein faces retrial in New York early next year, provided his health and ongoing legal issues do not delay the proceedings, as per Deadline.
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