Weinstein may not be freed after retrial but the stakes for #MeToo are still high

State prosecutors are once again trying Harvey Weinstein for sex crimes in New York.

- KELLY RISSMAN

Whatever the jury decides, the film mogul will likely never be free from prison again, but the stakes of the case are still incredibly high.

Weinstein faces three sex crimes counts – two are the same as in the initial New York trial, while one is a new charge. The criminal counts stem from alleged encounters with three women: production assistant Miriam Haley, aspiring actress Jessica Mann, and former model Kaja Sokola, the latter of whom accused him of assault. He has pleaded not guilty. It was similar claims against the former film mogul that helped kick off the #MeToo movement, where sexual assault accusers spoke out against their alleged attackers.

The 73-year-old was convicted in New York in 2020 and then in Los Angeles in 2022. But the victories for the movement were overshadowed when an appeals court in New York last year overturned his sexual assault and rape conviction. The fate of this trial could rebrand Weinstein as a rapist or formally clear his name in the state; it could also help dictate the future of the #MeToo movement.

The case is unique, in part due to the overturned conviction that has resulted in an eight-year gap between when Weinstein first faced a mountain of sexual misconduct allegations and this month’s retrial. It’s unclear which side time will favour.

But one thing is clear: the fanfare around his case seems to have dwindled with time. Five years ago, more than 100 women packed into the park across from Manhattan criminal court to chant an anti-rape anthem while Weinstein was criminally tried inside. This time around, the park was empty. Only a handful of members of the public showed up to his retrial.