Harvey Weinstein begs for trial to be put forward so he can be moved from 'hellhole' jail
Harvey Weinstein begs for trial to be put forward so he can be moved from 'hellhole' jail
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Harvey Weinstein has begged for his MeToo retrial to take place as soon as possible, complaining "I don't know how much longer I can hold on" as he battles cancer, heart issues and harsh conditions at a “hellhole” jail in New York. The disgraced movie mogul objected after Judge Curtis Farber said the retrial would start April 15, imploring him to swap with another, unrelated trial the judge has in March.
"Everyday I'm at Rikers Island, it's a mystery to me how I'm still walking," Weinstein said at a hearing in state court in Manhattan. "I'm holding on because I want justice for myself and I want this to be over with," he said. Weinstein, 72, is being treated for numerous health conditions, including chronic myeloid leukaemia, heart issues and diabetes.
He complained to Farber that prison officers gave him the wrong pills on Wednesday morning and failed to pick him up for court in a timely fashion. "So many people suffering on Rikers Island," he said. Weinstein arrived in court in a wheelchair more than half an hour after the hearing's scheduled start time.
At times as he addressed Farber, he sounded more like the imperious studio boss he once was. "I'm asking and begging you, your honour, to move your trial," Weinstein said, suggesting that even a week's head start would be helpful. Weinstein said that at times he finds himself gasping for air and predicted that he would soon be in hospital again for treatment.
