Washington: Former film producer Harvey Weinstein, a convicted rapist, has been urgently transferred to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan after suffering a serious health setback, reportedly linked to alarming blood test results.
The news, confirmed by Deadline, comes just days after Weinstein filed a lawsuit against New York City and others, accusing him of facing “abusive conditions” at the notorious Rikers Island prison.
Weinstein, who has battled health issues including leukemia, has previously been treated at the Bellevue, which has become a regular destination since he was convicted of sex crimes in 2020.
According to a statement from Weinstein’s lawyer Imran H. Ansari, obtained by Deadline, the 72-year-old’s medical condition deteriorated due to a lack of adequate care in prison.
Ansari said, “Harvey Weinstein, who suffered from a lack of adequate medical care and is enduring pitiful and inhumane conditions at Rikers Island, has been taken to Bellevue Hospital for emergency treatment due to dangerous blood test results. Requires immediate medical attention.” “He is expected to remain there until his condition is stabilized. Denying him care is not only medical malpractice, but a violation of his constitutional rights,” it said in a statement.
Weinstein, who is currently facing retrial in New York for sex crimes, is also involved in a US$5 million lawsuit against the state at Rikers Island, a facility that has been described as dilapidated and overcrowded.
The lawsuit, filed last week, claims poor prison conditions have caused Weinstein’s medical condition to worsen. His legal team argues that the abuse deserves “cruel and unusual punishment,” according to Deadline.
Weinstein’s public relations representative Judah Engelmayer reiterated the seriousness of his client’s situation. Engelmayer said, “Mr. Weinstein, who suffers from multiple illnesses, including leukemia, has been denied the medical care that any person deserves, whether he is a prisoner or not.” He added, “In many ways, this abuse is cruel and unusual punishment,” according to Deadline.
This is the third time in recent months that Weinstein has been hospitalized.
In July, he was treated for COVID-19 and pneumonia in Bellevue, and in September, he had heart surgery after nearly dying from a serious health problem. In addition to leukemia, Weinstein was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer in late October.
Weinstein’s health struggles are complicating his legal fight. In 2020, Weinstein, convicted of rape of actress Jessica Mann and sexual assault of production assistant Miriam Haley, 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, according to Deadline, Weinstein will face trial again in New York early next year, provided the proceedings are not delayed due to his health and ongoing legal issues.
