Harvey Weinstein's Extradition to LA on New Charges Delayed Again

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Harvey Weinstein’s extradition to Los Angeles to face 11 sexual assault charges has been delayed again.

The disgraced producer appeared virtually in an Erie County court Friday. He is currently incarcerated at the Wende Correctional Facility after being found guilty of rape and a criminal sexual act in February 2020.

Weinstein again has 30 days to challenge the extradition or petition New York governor Andrew Cuomo to prevent him from being sent to California. His lawyer Norman Effman said in court Friday he was filing a new writ of habeas corpus on Weinstein’s behalf by May 30. His fate will be decided then.

Weinstein, clad in a burgundy button-up and without a mask, remained quiet during the hearing, only responding to the judge once when asked if he had the opportunity to consult with Effman privately. He rested his head in his hands and looked down a lot during the hearing.

The Friday hearing came after a year of delays largely caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Weinstein’s attorneys were able to delay the extradition earlier this month due to issues with the extradition paperwork, though that problem has since been resolved.

If Weinstein does petition the New York governor, it’s highly unlikely Cuomo would block extradition — especially since the governor is embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal of his own — and Weinstein would likely be moved over to L.A. to face charges this summer.

If Weinstein is extradited and convicted in the L.A. trial, he will face up to 140 years to life in prison. The charges, which include rape and sexual battery, stem from five incidents that took place between 2004 and 2013.

Lawrence Yee contributed to this report

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