New York (AFP)

Could Harvey Weinstein want to escape his trial for sexual assault in early January? This was said Friday a prosecutor in Manhattan, asking the judge to increase from one to five million dollars the deposit that allows him to remain on probation.

The movie producer, a catalyst for the #MeToo movement, was summoned to court because of an impending change of law in New York on bail conditions, which requires re-examining the conditions of all defendants.

Since his first charge in May 2018, Mr. Weinstein, who faces life imprisonment for an alleged rape in 2013 and a forced sex act in 2006, has remained free for a million dollars in bail, wearing an electronic bracelet. and the confiscation of his passport.

The 67-year-old producer - who appeared very weak Friday in court, sometimes supported by a relative to move - can travel to the United States, provided to inform justice before any travel outside the State of New York .

But prosecutor Joan Illuzzi-Orbon has listed Friday before the judge many occasions when his electronic bracelet had not issued any signal.

Twice, in September and October, Mr. Weinstein disappeared from the radar for hours, and was concerned enough to alert his lawyers and send an investigator to his home in northern New York.

Since he has traveled on a private plane in recent months to Los Angeles, and has access to "almost unlimited resources," the prosecutor said the producer could suddenly "go on a private jet for another one. country". And thus evade his trial, which is scheduled to open on January 6, and which promises to be ultra-publicized.

However, Donna Rotunno, a Weinstein lawyer, said that these were just "small technical problems" due to the imperfections of the cellular network.

Once in October, she admitted, the producer went to Manhattan without taking the case that came with the bracelet, but himself called one of his employees to warn him. "There has never been an attempt to remove the bracelet," she said.

According to her, Mr. Weinstein, who has always maintained his innocence, scrupulously respects the conditions of his probation and "looks forward to appearing at his trial".

Judge James Burke made no decision on Friday, setting a new hearing on December 11th on these conditions.

© 2019 AFP