Harvey Weinstein, in a rare interview while awaiting the verdict in his New York sex crimes retrial, said he has “regrets” and admits he “acted immorally,” but insists his actions were “never illegal.”
Speaking on the phone Friday with Fox 5 anchor Rosanna Scotto, the 73-year-old disgraced filmmaker and convicted sex offender also dismissed the credibility of his accusers, implying they were financially motivated, referencing his lawyer’s claim that they had “4 million reasons” to testify.
“I have regrets that I put my family through this, that I put my wife through this, and I acted immorally,” Weinstein told Scotto. “I put so many friends through this and hurt people that were close to me by actions that were stupid, you know what I mean? But never illegal, never criminal, never anything.”
Scotto also asked Weinstein why he decided not to testify in the retrial. He admitted that he “wanted to,” but was advised not to by his attorney, Arthur Aidala.
Weinstein claimed Aidala “said to me that the jury was very feeling strongly, that the jury understood our case and would be sympathetic to our case, and that the [District Attorney] would try to rip me apart if I took the stand.”
“I’m not afraid of the DA, but this was the best advice and this is the advice you often hear: don’t take the stand if you don’t have to,” Weinstein added.
A Manhattan jury, comprised of seven women and five men, remained in deliberations on Friday afternoon. They began deliberations Thursday after more than five weeks of testimony.
Weinstein faces two counts of criminal sexual act and one count of rape, stemming from alleged incidents involving three women between 2002 and 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
This retrial follows the 2024 overturning of Weinstein’s 2020 conviction, where he was previously sentenced to 23 years in prison for similar offenses. The New York Court of Appeals vacated the conviction due to procedural errors, including the admission of testimony from uncharged accusers, which the court deemed prejudicial.
During deliberations, a juror expressed concerns about internal discord among the panel, citing unfair treatment. However, the judge denied the juror’s request to be excused, stating there was no legal basis for removal since the juror confirmed no coercion to alter their stance on the case.
Weinstein is serving a 16-year prison sentence from a separate 2022 conviction in California.
