Harvey Weinstein is said to be in high spirits, despite the fact he remains in hospital under police guard following his conviction on sexual assault and rape charges.
The disgraced movie mogul, 67, was transported to Bellevue Hospital on Monday night with high blood pressure and heart palpitations, just hours after a New York jury found him guilty on two counts at his highly-publicized trial.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, visited his client at Bellevue on Tuesday, and told reporters he ‘looked like he was in good shape’.
‘He was upbeat, though obviously he prefers being in his own house,’ Aidala stated.
‘I almost feel emboldened by Mr. Weinstein’s spirits and his desire to continue to fight these charges,’ he added.
Aidala also revealed that the former Miramax boss is expecting visits from his family and friends at the hospital in the coming days.
Harvey Weinstein is said to be in high spirits, despite the fact he remains in hospital under police guard following his conviction on sexual assault and rape charges. He is pictured arriving in court on Monday – just hours before he was taken to Bellevue Hospital
Weinstein was en route to the notorious Rikers Island jail on Monday evening when he suffered a medical episode and was diverted to Bellevue Hospital.
Aidala stated that, his client’s spirits are high, his physical health is a serious concern.
‘He is not a picture of health by any stretch of the imagination,’ he told reporters.
Weinstein reportedly suffers from diabetes and severe back pain, and was seen pushing a walker into the courtroom throughout the duration of his trial.
It remains unclear when Weinstein will be discharged from hospital and taken to Rikers.
Aidala’s comments come at the same time as a Weinstein spokesperson told Page Six that he hired a ‘prison consultant’ to help him prepare for life behind bars.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, visited his client at Bellevue on Tuesday
Police vehicles are seen parked outside Bellevue Hospital Center where Weinstein is currently being held
Weinstein faces a maximum of 29 years in prison, after being convicted of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.
Jurors acquitted Weinstein on the two top charges, predatory sexual assault, which carried a maximum life sentence.
Those counts required jurors to consider accusations by the actress Annabella Sciorra, who testified that Weinstein raped her in the early 1990s.
Weinstein’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, told Page Six that the ‘prison consultant’ is helping the movie mogul prepare for the ‘logistics’ of life at Rikers.
For example, the consultant has been hired to make sure Weinstein receives proper medical care in jail. He reportedly takes several medications.
Weinstein faces a maximum of 29 years in prison, after being convicted of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013
The Rikers Island jail complex, whose main building went up in 1932, has long been plagued by violence and neglect. Jail officials could place Weinstein in a private or semi-private cell to help ensure his safety
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.
Jail officials could place Weinstein in a private or semi-private cell to help ensure his safety.
Weinstein also faces several felony charges in Los Angeles in connection with his alleged sexual assaults against two women in 2013.
Weinstein’s guilty verdict in New York on Monday was 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 – in entertainment, business, media, politics and other fields – of sexual misconduct.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11.
However, Aidala said he may seek an earlier sentencing date so Weinstein can appeal sooner. New York law requires a defendant to be sentenced first.
More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. He has denied the accusations, and said any sexual encounters were consensual.
Weinstein’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, told The Post that the ‘prison consultant’ is helping the movie mogul prepare for the ‘logistics’ of life at Rikers