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Harvey Weinstein moved to Rikers Island jail after 10-day hospital stay

Harvey Weinstein still faces charges in Los Angeles
Harvey Weinstein still faces charges in Los Angeles

Former movie producer Harvey Weinstein, who was convicted of rape and sexual assault last week, has been transferred to New York's Rikers Island jail complex from Bellevue Hospital after undergoing a procedure to clear a heart blockage.

Weinstein arrived in Rikers' North Infirmary Command section, which houses inmates requiring medical care, by mid-afternoon, according to jail records.

The move came after he underwent the surgery yesterday, according to his spokesman, Juda Engelmayer.

The former producer had been taken to Bellevue following his conviction on 24 February, after his bail was revoked and he was taken into custody.

The Rikers Island jail complex, whose main building went up in 1932, has long been plagued by violence and neglect.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed in 2017 to close it within a decade.

Rikers Island jail is New York City's main jail complex

A Bellevue spokeswoman declined to comment on Mr Weinstein.

Weinstein, 67, was found guilty of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.

He faces up to 29 years in prison when he is sentenced on 11 March.


Read more: 
Film producer Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault, rape
Jury in Harvey Weinstein trial begins deliberations


Jurors acquitted Weinstein on the two most serious charges,predatory sexual assault, which carried a maximum life sentence.

The verdict was seen as a milestone for the #MeToo movement, which was fueled by his case starting in late 2017. The movement inspired women to accuse hundreds of powerful men of sexual misconduct.

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. He has denied the accusations, and said any sexual encounters were consensual.

The former producer was a key force behind acclaimed films such as "The English Patient" and "Shakespeare in Love," which both won Oscars for best picture.

His former film studio, the Weinstein Company, filed for bankruptcy in March 2018 and is being liquidated.

In addition to his convictions in New York, Weinstein also faces several felony charges in Los Angeles in connection with alleged sexual assaults against two women in 2013.