Ashley Judd and Other Stars React to Harvey Weinstein's Overturned Conviction

Harvey Weinstein's conviction update is taking its toll on those connected with his case. 

After the disgraced film producer's conviction in the state of New York was overturned by an appeals court on April 25, key figures in the #MeToo movement are speaking out—including Ashley Judd, the first actress to come forward with allegations against Weinstein. 

"That is unfair to survivors," Judd told The New York Times. "We still live in our truth. And we know what happened."

Another of Weinstein's accusers to come forward publicly, Katherine Kendall, told the outlet, "[It's] a terrible reminder that victims of sexual assault just don't get justice. I'm completely let down by the justice system right now. I'm sort of flabbergasted."

Amber Tamblyn, another actress who has been a key advocate for the #MeToo movement, also expressed her frustrations, calling the overturning "a loss to the entire community of women who put their lives and careers on the line to speak out."

"If there is any good that comes out of this news," the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants alum continued, "I hope that it reignites people and their passion to not just say they want equality, not just say they want safety, but to really work towards it."

Though he pleaded not guilty to the charges, Weinstein was previously sentenced to 23 years in prison in February 2020 for criminal sexual act in the first degree and for rape in the third degree.

The conviction was then overturned after the Court of Appeals found in a 4-3 decision on April 25 that the trial judge who presided over the case had made a mistake in allowing certain witness testimony. (In the decision, obtained by E! News, it was noted a new trial has already been ordered.)

Per the documents, the court concluded that the "trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes because that testimony served no material non-propensity purpose."

In a statement to the New York Times, Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala said the decision was "not just a victory for Mr. Weinstein, but for every criminal defendant in the state of New York, and we compliment the Court of Appeals for upholding the most basic principles that a criminal defendant should have in a trial."

The reversal of his 2020 conviction comes only two months after Weinstein was sentenced to 16 years in prison in California for one count of forcible rape and two counts of sexual assault.

Though the 72-year-old would still need to serve his sentence in California, this overturning does not equal the end of his legal troubles in New York. 

As a spokesperson for New York's District Attorney's office told NBC News, "We will do everything in our power to retry this case, and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault."

(NBC and E! News are both part of NBCUniversal.)

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