The judge said Weinstein’s right to a fair trial outweighed news organizations’ arguments for keeping the courtroom open
A U.S. judge decided to hold an important pretrial hearing in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault case in secret.A judge decided Friday to hold an important pretrial hearing in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault case in secret, saying the former movie mogul’s right to a fair trial outweighed news organizations’ arguments for keeping the courtroom open.
Burke also denied the media organizations’ request to delay the hearing so they would have time to appeal. Their attorneys were asking an appeals court to halt the proceeding. “We believe it is prudent” to close the court, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon said.“The court cannot be complicit with the press in denying the defendant’s right to a fair trial,” Weinstein lawyer Marianne Bertuna said.Lawyers for the news organizations, including The Associated Press, said the prosecution and defence arguments didn’t meet the high legal standard for banning the media and the public.
A lawyer for Court TV and a reporter from New York magazine also argued in favour of keeping the courtroom open.He is charged with raping an unidentified female acquaintance in his Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and performing a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.Weinstein, 67, has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex. He pleaded not guilty and is free on $1-million bail. His trial is scheduled to begin June 3.
Perhaps expecting an onslaught of accusers taking the witness stand, Weinstein lawyer Jose Baez sent a letter this week to the lawyer for one of them, asking for emails he says show the woman acknowledged she had a consensual relationship with Weinstein.
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