Britain Halts Criminal Proceedings Against Harvey Weinstein

British prosecutors on Thursday announced the discontinuation of indecent assault charges against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Frank Ferguson, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, stated, "Following a review of the evidence in this case, the CPS has decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against Harvey Weinstein."

Ferguson explained that the decision was based on the determination that there was no longer a "realistic prospect of conviction." 

The charges, initially authorized two years ago, alleged that Weinstein had committed an indecent assault in London in August 1996 against a woman now in her 50s. Weinstein, 72, has consistently denied all accusations of non-consensual sexual encounters.

This development comes after a tumultuous legal history for Weinstein. In February 2020, jurors in Manhattan convicted him on rape charges, but the New York Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in April 2022, citing unfair trial conditions due to improper testimony. Additionally, Weinstein was convicted of raping an actress in Los Angeles in 2022.