Harvey Weinstein accuses Rikers Island of substandard medical therapy, unhygienic situations in authorized declare
NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein’s legal professionals filed a authorized declare Tuesday in opposition to New York Metropolis, alleging that he’s receiving substandard medical treatment in unhygienic situations whereas in custody at Rikers Island.
The discover of declare, which is step one in submitting a lawsuit, accuses the ability of failing to handle the previous film mogul’s medical situations, which embrace chronic myeloid leukemia and diabetes, and negligence starting from “freezing” situations to an absence of fresh garments.
The town’s legislation division and Division of Correction didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
“After I final visited him, I discovered him with blood spatter on his jail garb, probably from IV’s, garments that had not been washed for weeks, and he had not even been supplied clear underwear – hardly sanitary situations for somebody with extreme medical situations,” Weinstein’s legal professional, Imran H. Ansari, stated in an announcement, evaluating the ability to a “gulag.”
Authorized declare says Weinstein returned to Rikers too quickly after hospitalizations
Weinstein, 72, has been in city custody since earlier this year, following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction within the state. The case is set to be retried in 2025. Weinstein has denied any wrongdoing.
Weinstein was briefly hospitalized in April and again in July for well being issues. His group has stated he is been handled for diabetes, hypertension, spinal stenosis, COVID-19, and fluid on his coronary heart and lungs.
The authorized declare, which seeks $5 million in damages, argues he’d been returned to Rikers every time earlier than he had totally recovered.
Weinstein’s movie manufacturing firm went into chapter 11 proceedings after his convictions, organising a $17 million fund for a sexual misconduct claims fund.
The Rikers Island jail is slated to be closed in 2027, however the metropolis has pushed back deadlines to do so.
