NEW YORK (AP) — The decision by New York’s highest court to overturn the rape conviction of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has reopened a painful chapter in America’s reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures — an era that began in 2017 and helped launch the #MeToo movement.
Here’s what you need to know about why Weinstein’s rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next:
New York’s Court of Appeals found the trial judge in the rape case prejudiced Weinstein with “egregious” improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that Weinstein wasn’t charged with.
In its 4-3 decision, the court’s majority said it was an “abuse of judicial discretion” for Judge James Burke to allow testimony from these other women about “loathsome alleged bad acts and despicable behavior.”
“Without question, this is appalling, shameful, repulsive conduct that could only diminish defendant’s character before the jury,” they said.
Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to Maryland ban on rifles known as assault weapons
Sheep breeding cooperatives boost incomes of Xizang herders
China's education ministry outlines major tasks for year 2024
Heavy rains set off flash floods, killing 33 people in Afghanistan,
Justin Timberlake set to bring his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour to Australia in 2025
Xinjiang braces for more passenger train suspensions amid extreme weather
Senior official of Heilongjiang under investigation
Feature: Blind engineer opens up new vistas with computer game design
Saudi Arabia is going to sponsor the WTA women's tennis rankings under a new partnership