Appellate judges raise doubts about Weinstein’s conviction

By MICHAEL R. SISAK
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court has excoriated Manhattan prosecutors for filling out Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial last year with what one judge deemed “incredibly prejudicial testimony” from women whose allegations weren’t part of the criminal charges against him. The strategy now has the potential to jeopardize the disgraced movie mogul’s conviction. Members of a five-judge panel in the state’s intermediate appeals court appeared incensed Wednesday with Judge James Burke’s decision to allow the witnesses and for another ruling that cleared the way for prosecutors to confront Weinstein with evidence about other misbehavior if he had testified. Several judges on the panel appeared open to considering reversing Weinstein’s conviction. A decision isn’t expected until January.