Harvey Weinstein hires Bill Cosby’s lawyer to appeal rape conviction

NEW YORK – Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has a new legal team, which includes one of Bill Cosby’s lawyers, to appeal his sexual assault and rape conviction.

Weinstein has hired Michael Freedman and Jennifer Bonjean, the defense attorney who successfully appealed Bill Cosby’s conviction, in his attempt to have his Los Angeles sentence overturned, according to Variety.

Weinstein’s convictions in New York for a number of sex crimes were upheld in June 2022, but the state’s highest court has agreed to hear his case. Weinstein received a 23-year sentence in New York.

He was found guilty of rape and sexual assault in a California trial in December 2022. During that trial, several counts related to other women were dismissed, but Weinstein was convicted of rape, forced oral copulation and an additional sexual misconduct charge of attacking Jane Doe 1 in 2013.

Weinstein, 71, was sentenced to 16 years in February in that case.

Evgeniya Chernyshova later came forward as Jane Doe 1.

Bonjean represented Cosby before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and got his conviction overturned in 2021. She has previously represented R. Kelly during his criminal trial as well as Nxivm cult leader Keith Raniere. Both Kelly and Raniere were found guilty.

The disgraced comedian argued he did not receive a fair trial and was released after serving three years of a 10-year sentence. Weinstein is likely to mount a similar appeal.

The new legal team is also representing Weinstein in a civil suit brought forth by Chernyshova. She is seeking compensation for physical and mental pain and suffering, loss of earnings and cost of medical and psychological treatment as a result of the rape.

Weinstein is imprisoned at Mohawk Correctional Facility, a medium-security facility in Rome, New York.

Weinstein has been ordered to serve his sentences consecutively, meaning – if the convictions are upheld – he would serve time in New York before serving the California sentence and would not be released until 2059.