Harvey Weinstein Falls Ill in Prison, Being Monitored for COVID-19

Harvey Weinstein is being monitored with a fever by medical professionals as TMZ reported Tuesday he awaits the results of COVID-19 testing following a possible exposure. The 68-year-old disgraced film producer, serving 23 years in prison on rape and sexual assault charges, “has a fever and is being closely monitored by the excellent medical staff at Wende CF for which the entire legal defense team is grateful,” according to his representatives Juda Englemeyer and Craig Rothfeld, as per PEOPLE.

“It should come as no surprise that Mr. Weinstein has numerous maladies and conditions including a heart condition, high blood pressure and spinal stenosis,” they continued. “We are working with the NYSDOCCS and the excellent team at Wende CF to ensure Mr. Weinstein receives the proper medical attention he needs.”

TMZ reported that Weinstein has been placed in isolation for 72 hours while awaiting the results of his testing after falling ill. This latest bout comes just seven months after the Niagara Gazette reported he tested positive for coronavirus following a transfer from New York City’s Rikers Island to Wende Correctional Facility in Erie County, New York. Officials told the paper they believed Weinstein had already contracted the coronavirus before he entered the prison. Weinstein was previously taken to the hospital a number of times during his stint at Rikers Island due to high blood pressure and chest pains.

On March 11, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted in February of first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape. While the judge could have imposed a maximum sentence of 29 years as requested by prosecutors, Weinstein’s defense attorney argued for the minimum sentence of five years. Weinstein was acquitted of three other charges by jurors, including the most severe charge of predatory sexual assault, which alone would have carried a sentence of 10 years to life in prison, according to The Washington Post.

Weinstein has denied all the allegations against him, claiming his sexual encounters with the two women who accused him of assault in the New York case were consensual. Weinstein is now facing additional rape and sexual battery charges in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced in October. According to the DA’s office, Weinstein is facing four counts each of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery by restraint and one count of sexual penetration by use of force involving five victims during incidences that occurred from 2004 to 2013.