Harvey Weinstein has rare bone marrow cancer and is treated in prison | Ents & Arts News
Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has bone marrow cancer, according to a report in the US.
Sky News’ US partner network NBC News says two sources have told it Weinstein, 72, is undergoing treatment in prison at Rikers Island in New York for chronic myeloid leukaemia, a rare type of cancer which affects white blood cells.
In a statement to NBC News, Weinstein’s representative Craig Rothfeld said they will give “no further comment” out of “respect for Mr Weinstein’s privacy”.
Weinstein’s representatives have previously said he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal stenosis and fluid in his heart and lungs.
Last month, he had emergency surgery to remove fluid around his heart and lungs and in July he was in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 and contracting double pneumonia.
His health issues come as Weinstein awaits a retrial over his 2020 rape and sexual assault conviction, which was overturned by New York’s highest court in April.
The Court of Appeals ruled he did not get a fair trial as the judge who presided over the hearing unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations that were not part of the case.
Despite that conviction being overturned, he has remained in prison due to another conviction last year, for the rape of an actress in Los Angeles in 2013.
He is appealing against that conviction.
Read more:
Weinstein pleads not guilty to new charge
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Weinstein still faces two other criminal counts, to which he also pleaded not guilty, including another criminal sexual act charge and a rape charge.
He pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of sexual assault last month.
Once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood, Weinstein co-founded the film and television production companies Miramax and The Weinstein Company.
He produced films such as the Oscar-winning Shakespeare In Love, Pulp Fiction, and The Crying Game.
