A judge yesterday allowed the criminal case against Harvey Weinstein to continue, clearing the way for the disgraced filmmaker to face a trial in Manhattan, the Wall Street Journal reported. Weinstein is charged with sex crimes, including rape, in state Supreme Court in Manhattan. The case, brought by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, consists of five counts related to alleged incidents with two different women in 2006 and 2013. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and repeatedly denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex. In October, Justice James Burke tossed one count, related to an alleged 2004 incident with then-aspiring actress Lucia Evans, after prosecutors disclosed a conflicting witness account. This left five counts remaining in the case. Weinstein’s lawyers had asked the judge to toss the rest of the case, claiming that the grand jury didn’t hear certain evidence and that a detective involved in the case didn’t disclose some information to prosecutors. In a written ruling yesterday, the judge said the grand jury proceedings were properly conducted. Judge Burke scheduled a hearing on March 7 to discuss pretrial matters.
