Harvey Weinstein transferred to Los Angeles for new trial

New York - The once all-powerful Hollywood producer is accused of rape and sexual assault of five women.

Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been serving a 23-year prison sentence for sexual assault in New York since last year, was on his way to Los Angeles on Tuesday for a second trial in which he will face new charges.

The once all-powerful Hollywood producer — whose downfall was seen as a major victory for the #MeToo movement — is accused in Los Angeles of rape and sexual assault of five women, which could land him in prison for up to an additional 140 years.

The 69-year-old left the Wende prison in upstate New York shortly before 9:30 am (1330 GMT) and was handed over “to the appropriate officials for transport to the state of California per a court order,” a spokesman for the New York prison authorities said in a statement.

Weinstein’s lawyers had argued for weeks against the transfer on medical grounds.

But in June New York judge Kenneth Case rejected their arguments and gave the green light to his transfer.

And legal efforts to stop the extradition in Los Angeles did not reach court.

“We are disappointed that the LA DA (Los Angeles district attorney) didn’t wait for the judge’s ruling, but we did expect this to happen at some point,” Weinstein’s spokesman, Juda Engelmayer, told AFP.

“We will be fighting so that Harvey can receive his needed medical care and of course, so that he can be treated fairly.”

According to California law, Weinstein’s trial must begin within 120 days of his extradition, which would be in mid-November.

His lawyer Mark Werksman told the Los Angeles Times that Weinstein could appear in a Los Angeles courtroom as early as Wednesday.