US: Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction in New York overturned

The New York Court of Appeals said prosecutors had called witnesses whose accusations had nothing to do with the charges made against him.

The court said this meant he had been unfairly tried for behaviour not relevant to the trial. A new trial has been ordered.

Mr Weinstein, 72, was also convicted of rape in Los Angeles.

His lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said the reversal was a win for the legal system.

“There are still people who are very unpopular in our society, but we still have to apply the law fairly to them,” Mr Aidala said at a news conference in New York City.

“In this courthouse behind us, at that trial, the law was not applied fairly to Harvey Weinstein.”

He told the New York Times that the decision was a victory “for every criminal defendant in the state of New York”.

“We will do everything in our power to retry this case, and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault,” said Emily Tuttle, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.