Harvey Weinstein retrial continues with slow jury selection as judge approves hospital transfer

NEW YORK - A judge has granted Harvey Weinstein’s legal team’s request to move him from Rikers Island to Bellevue Hospital as jury selection in his rape retrial progresses slowly. Nine jurors have been selected so far, and jury selection will resume Monday after a break for Good Friday.

What we know:

Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is being retried in Manhattan on rape and sex crime charges after his 2020 conviction was overturned by New York's Court of Appeals. The appeals court ruled that he had not received a fair trial due to the inclusion of testimony from women who were not part of the original case.

On Thursday, the judge granted Weinstein's lawyer's request to transfer him from Rikers Island to Bellevue Hospital. No further details were given on the reason for the move.

The new trial stems from allegations that Weinstein raped two women and forced oral sex on a third. He has pleaded not guilty and maintains that all sexual encounters were consensual.

Judge Curtis Farber is presiding over the retrial and continues to oversee the jury screening process, which has already eliminated more than two-thirds of the candidates due to scheduling conflicts or concerns over impartiality.

Weinstein’s legal team argued for the move to Bellevue, though court records did not detail the medical reason.

What's next:

Jury selection is scheduled to resume on Monday. The court is closed Friday in observance of Good Friday. The judge and attorneys will continue the process of selecting 12 jurors and six alternates. The retrial will differ slightly from the original in its charges and expected evidence.