The once-powerful Hollywood producer is reportedly battling a serious illness amid new allegations. NBC News sources revealed that Harvey has been diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (a cancer of the white blood cells). Harvey is currently in New York’s Rikers Island prison.
NBC News sources said the movie mogul is in pain and is being treated at New York’s Rikers Island prison. The National Cancer Institute describes Harvey’s illness as “a type of cancer in which the bone marrow produces large numbers of abnormal blood cells.”
Harvey’s legal health representative, Craig Rothfeld, said of the news: “Out of respect for Mr. Weinstein’s privacy, we will have no further comment.”
Harvey is now 72. The once-powerful Hollywood mogul is said to have had a number of health issues – having battled COVID-19 and double pneumonia. Harvey’s health struggles coincide with his ongoing legal battle with Manhattan prosecutors, who are aiming to merge the new charges with previous ones at trial, NBC News reported. As a result, Harvey’s life has been extremely difficult.
Earlier this year, Harvey’s 23-year prison sentence in New York was overturned while he was in custody. The appeals court noted that the previous trial was marred by multiple issues, most notably the judge’s decision to allow women to testify about uncharged charges. However, Harvey was convicted of rape concurrently in Los Angeles in 2022, receiving a 16-year sentence. His legal team has been strategizing how to fight the sentence, Mirror US reported.
Harvey’s legal team wants a quicker trial and has proposed an expedited schedule, according to their discussions with Judge Farber.
“Harvey is anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence,” one of his lawyers said after the hearing, according to AP News, as reported by The Sun.
Harvey, who appeared emotionless and was in a wheelchair, showed no emotion as he entered the Manhattan courtroom where his retrial date had been set. Harvey’s health has been deteriorating in recent months.
Harvey was rushed to hospital last month for emergency heart surgery. The 72-year-old underwent open-heart surgery at Bellevue Hospital in New York on Monday after his lawyer warned Rikers Island jail bosses that he would “die on your watch if you don’t do something.”
Harvey’s prison consultant, Craig Rothfeld, said Harvey still faces a number of other serious health issues.
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