Harvey Weinstein plans to sue the city of New York after he was diagnosed with cancer last month.
The base of the suit, obtained by The New York Postis that officials’ refusal to release him for outside treatment constitutes “continuing medical negligence.”
Weinstein, 72, is currently receiving treatment at Rikers Island, where he is being held ahead of another sex crimes trial set to begin in 2025.
It was convened after a New York appeals court overturned his rape conviction in April, following trials in the Empire State and California.
Since those procedures began in 2018, Weinstein has been plagued by health problems. This continued last month, when it was revealed that he now has a rare form of bone marrow cancer. He has been receiving treatment since then.
Harvey Weinstein, seen here in Queens Criminal Court in August, plans to sue New York City following a cancer diagnosis last month.
The basis of the lawsuit is that officials’ refusal to release him from Rikers Island for outside treatment constitutes “continuing medical negligence.” The jail is seen here.
“We will not discuss Mr. Weinstein’s medical details, but we are appalled by the continued medical negligence displayed by NYC Health and Hospitals and Bellevue,” a representative for Weinstein told the Post on Friday.
‘This is not the fault of Rikers, CHS (the city’s correctional health services) or the doctors at Bellevue, whom Mr. Weinstein deeply respects.
“However, refusing to hold him in Bellevue during his trial is a serious oversight, jeopardizing his ability to attend his own trial.”
The latter statement referred to a visit the disgraced movie mogul made to Bellevue Hospital in Midtown earlier that day, for unknown reasons.
Bellevue, one of the largest hospitals in the U.S., is owned and operated by the city.
The spokesperson went on to tell the Post how Weinstein hired legal counsel to sue both Bellevue and NYC Health + Hospitals, the government agency that oversees him.
As to why, the rep said it was because Weinstein had “a right to appropriate care while in custody” and to stop an alleged conspiracy, the rep seemed to suggest it was the work of city officials.
The lawsuit names NYC Health + Hospitals and Bellevue as defendants, with the former being the government agency that operates the city-owned hospital.
A representative for the disgraced producer said the lawsuit was because he was “entitled to adequate care while in custody.”
“This treatment suggests a broader agenda for a more sinister outcome through the law and inadequate health care,” it said.
The comment seemed to point to an alleged plot to sabotage the former producer’s upcoming trials, after new criminal charges were filed against him last September.
That same month, Weinstein had to have fluid removed from his heart and lungs in what his lawyer called emergency surgery, also in Bellevue, after he began suffering chest pains.
At the time, his prison counselor said the surgery was successful, but he still feels “pain from the procedure.”
The representative also noted the convicted rapist’s previous health problems, which included bouts of COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
Before that, he spent 10 days in Bellevue in April after attending his trials in a wheelchair.
The representative also noted the convicted rapist’s previous health problems, which included bouts of COVID-19 and double pneumonia. He now suffers from a rare form of bone marrow cancer.
Before that, he attended the proceedings in a wheelchair and also spent 10 days in Bellevue in April. Following his rape conviction in February 2020, Weinstein left court in an ambulance sent to Bellevue, after complaining of chest pains and high blood pressure.
Following his conviction in February 2020, Weinstein left court in an ambulance bound for Bellevue after complaining of chest pains and high blood pressure. A stent was inserted to unblock an artery.
While the city files the lawsuit, Weinstein continues to deny that he raped or sexually assaulted anyone, and remains in custody in New York.
His retrial was tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, although it has since been postponed.
Prosecutors retrying his overturned rape conviction have since revealed that they have begun presenting new evidence, from up to three additional allegations dating back to the mid-2000s.