Harvey Weinstein is reportedly going blind and has lost several teeth in prison, according to his lawyer.
The disgraced movie mogul appeared virtually in an upstate New York court to fight extradition to Los Angeles, where he has been indicted on 11 counts of sexual assault.
According to the Los Angeles Times, he faces four counts of forcible rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery and one count of sexual penetration by force connected to the alleged assaults of five women from 2004 to 2013.
Weinstein’s lawyer Norman Effman said his client did not want to be extradited yet due to his health issues needing medical attention. He is “scheduled for some dental procedures to save his teeth – he’s lost, I believe four at this point,” Effman said.
Judge Kenneth Case granted Weinstein one week to file a motion to challenge the extradition, which he will rule on come 30 April.
Weinstein was found guilty in February 2020 of third-degree rape and of a criminal sexual act. He was sentenced the following month to 23 years in prison.
Weinstein’s legal team signalled its intention to appeal shortly after the verdict became known in February. Weinstein’s attorney Donna Rotunno told the press at the time that his legal team would “absolutely be appealing”, adding that “the fight is not over”.
The former film producer has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex. He remains in custody at Wende Correctional Facility in in Erie County, New York.
