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British prosecutors have officially discontinued indecent assault charges against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, concluding there is no realistic prospect of conviction. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had initially authorized charges two years ago, related to an alleged assault in London in August 1996. The accuser, now in her 50s, had brought forth the case against Weinstein during the height of the #MeToo movement.
“Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review, and we have determined that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,” said Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’ Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, as quoted by Reuters. Adding that all involved parties had been informed of the decision, CPS also issued a statement and said, “We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.”
The news comes in the wake of Weinstein’s legal battles in the US, where he was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in 2020—a verdict seen as pivotal for the #MeToo movement. However, that conviction was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals in April 2024, citing unfair trial conditions. A retrial is expected later this year.
Weinstein was also convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022 and sentenced to 16 years. This conviction remains intact, and Weinstein has yet to serve the California sentence. He continues to deny all allegations, maintaining that all sexual encounters were consensual.
“Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein. The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review, and we have determined that there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction,” said Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’ Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, as quoted by Reuters. Adding that all involved parties had been informed of the decision, CPS also issued a statement and said, “We would always encourage any potential victims of sexual assault to come forward and report to police, and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.”
The news comes in the wake of Weinstein’s legal battles in the US, where he was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in 2020—a verdict seen as pivotal for the #MeToo movement. However, that conviction was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals in April 2024, citing unfair trial conditions. A retrial is expected later this year.
Weinstein was also convicted of rape in Los Angeles in 2022 and sentenced to 16 years. This conviction remains intact, and Weinstein has yet to serve the California sentence. He continues to deny all allegations, maintaining that all sexual encounters were consensual.
