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 therapy in unhygienic circumstances whereas in custody at Rikers Island.
The discover of declare, which is step one in submitting a lawsuit, accuses the power of failing to handle the previous film mogul’s medical circumstances, which embody power myeloid leukemia and diabetes, and negligence starting from “freezing” circumstances 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 offered clear underwear – hardly sanitary circumstances for somebody with extreme medical circumstances,” Weinstein’s legal professional, Imran H. Ansari, mentioned in an announcement, evaluating the power to a “gulag.”
Authorized declare says Weinstein returned to Rikers too quickly after hospitalizations
Weinstein, 72, has been in metropolis custody since earlier this 12 months, following an appeals courtroom ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction within the state. The case is about to be retried in 2025. Weinstein has denied any wrongdoing.
Weinstein was briefly hospitalized in April and once more in July for well being issues. His workforce has mentioned 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 absolutely recovered.
Weinstein’s movie manufacturing firm went into chapter 11 proceedings after his convictions, establishing 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 again deadlines to take action.
