On Monday, April 12, a New York court hearing was held to extradite producer Harvey Weinstein from New York State to Los Angeles, California.

During the meeting, attorney Norman Effman, who represents Weinstein's interests, said that his client needs two surgeries.

Since March 2020 (after sentencing), Harvey Weinstein has been held in Wende Prison in the city of Alden, near Buffalo.

Soon, the producer will face a new trial.

The lawyers insist that the charges against their client be brought remotely.

According to Effman, Weinstein is losing his eyesight and "strictly speaking, is almost blind by now."

Lawyers first mentioned vision problems in February 2020, when the producer was found guilty of rape and sexual harassment.

It was reported back then that Harvey Weinstein needed injections to keep his eyes healthy.

Now, according to Effman, the producer needs an operation. 

The lawyer also said that Weinstein will have to visit the dentist: during his stay in prison, the convict lost four teeth.

The producer participated in the meeting via video link.

He did not take the floor.

The footage reportedly showed the walkers that Weinstein used during the trial at the Manhattan court.

  • Harvey Weinstein

  • AFP

  • © Kena Betancur / Getty Images

District Attorney John Flynn believes that Weinstein's health problems should not in any way affect the extradition process.

“I really don't care about his medical condition.

I'm not trying to be rude, okay?

I don't really care about his problems.

More important to me than the victim of his crimes in California.

It's more important for me to help my colleagues from the LA District Attorney's Office bring him to justice, ”the attorney said.

Harvey Wanstein is charged with rape (four cases), forced oral intercourse (four cases), sexual assault (two cases) and forced sexual intercourse (one case).

The victims are five women.

The alleged crimes are said to have occurred between 2004 and 2013.

Representatives of the judiciary will have to resolve some organizational issues: the Los Angeles County Attorney's Office made mistakes in drawing up the extradition request, in connection with which the hearings will continue on April 30.

Weinstein's lawyer Mark Verksman emphasized that the district attorney's team had several weeks to put the documents in order, but they did not cope with this task.

If the extradition request is granted, Weinstein's defense will be able to appeal to New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo within 30 days.

If the politician does not interfere with the extradition before the expiration of this period, the producer will go to Los Angeles.

Werksman continues to insist on his client's innocence.

“These are long-standing, unfounded, unverified, implausible accusations that arose during the hysteria with the #MeToo movement, and we are confident that Mr. Weinstein will be acquitted because there is no reliable evidence against him.

He is not guilty".

  • Harvey Weinstein

  • AFP

  • © Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Earlier, representatives of Harvey Weinstein have repeatedly reported that the producer suffers from health problems.

In August 2019, he was in a car accident, and a few months later underwent spinal surgery.

Weinstein also had high blood pressure and a rapid pulse.

After one of the meetings at the end of February 2020, the producer complained of chest pains.

He was urgently hospitalized and underwent heart surgery on March 4.

Weinstein was then placed in the prison infirmary.

As noted by Norma Effman, his client is still experiencing problems in terms of cardiology.

In addition, in March-April 2020, Harvey Weinstein suffered a coronavirus infection.

The producer is at risk, but was able to cope with the disease.

In March 2020, Weinstein was found guilty of sexual crimes and rape and sentenced to 23 years in prison.

The longest possible term for such crimes is 29 years.

The producer's defense asked for a minimum punishment of five years in prison.