Incident from 1996

Proceedings against Weinstein dropped in England

The British prosecution dropped the charges against Harvey Weinstein.(Bild: AFP/Johannes EISELE)

The British Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped the criminal proceedings against former film mogul Harvey Weinstein. 

The CPS had brought charges against Weinstein in June 2022 for an alleged sexual assault in 1996. However, the proceedings are now to be discontinued.

"No prospect of conviction"
"We have decided that there is no longer a realistic prospect of a conviction", the authorities announced. Nevertheless, it was emphasized that all potential victims of sexual assault are encouraged to report to the police.

Allegations against Weinstein by more than 80 women accusing him of sexual abuse sparked the global MeToo movement in 2017.

Trial to be reopened
The producer of films such as "The English Patient", "Pulp Fiction", "Good Will Hunting" and "Gangs of New York" was finally sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York. At the end of April, however, an appeals court in New York surprisingly overturned the historic conviction due to procedural errors. Numerous supporters and activists of the MeToo movement were horrified. The trial will be reopened.

Weinstein is still in prison, however, because he was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2023 in another criminal trial in Los Angeles, which also involved sex crimes. His defense lawyers are also contesting this sentence.