In LA, Harvey Weinstein’s Lawyers Request Sealing of Grand Jury Documents

He was extradited to California earlier this month

Harvey Weinstein
Movie producer Harvey Weinstein enters New York City Criminal Court on February 24, 2020 in New York City.
Scott Heins/Getty Images

Earlier this month, Harvey Weinstein arrived in Los Angeles, where he’s set to stand trial on charges for the sexual assault of five women. Weinstein was extradited from New York, where he’s in the midst of a 23-year-long prison sentence after being convicted of rape last year. As the Los Angeles Times reported, Weinstein had sought to stop the extradition; his efforts were unsuccessful.

At Deadline, Tom Tapp reports that Weinstein’s attorneys have made a substantial request of the judge handling the case. They requested that grand jury transcripts and exhibits be sealed. Why? In the filing where they made the request, Weinstein’s lawyers stated that the materials in question “contain highly personal and invasive details about Mr. Weinstein’s medical and psychological history, and even intimate details about his physical body and anatomy.”

In the same filing, they also argued that a “heightened focus and scrutiny” on the case would “[make] it that much more difficult to find impartial jurors.”

Weinstein pleaded not guilty in the case earlier this month.

This isn’t the first significant filing made by the legal team representing Weinstein. Last week, they attempted to get three of the charges against him thrown out. That was unsuccessful, though one of the charges was amended. As NPR reported, Weinstein could face 140 years in prison if convicted.

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