Harvey Weinstein hospitalised after returning to jail in New York City, his lawyer says

Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer has said the disgraced media mogul has been taken to hospital following his return to a jail in New York City.

Attorney Arthur Aidala said Weinstein was moved to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan after his arrival on Friday to city jails.

“They examined him and sent him to Bellevue. It seems like he needs a lot of help, physically,” Mr Aidala said.

"He’s got a lot of problems. He’s getting all kinds of tests. He’s somewhat of a train wreck health-wise."

Frank Dwyer, a spokesperson with the New York City Department of Correction, said in an email that Weinstein remains in custody at Bellevue.

A message seeking comment with state corrections officials was not immediately returned.

On Thursday, the New York Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction after it found the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the case with "egregious" improper rulings.

It also erased his 23-year prison sentence and ordered a retrial.

The court's 4-3 decision said: "We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes. The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial."

One of the key issues the court found was a decision to let women testify about allegations that were not part of the case.

Actress Ashley Judd, who was among the first women to make allegations on the record against Weinstein, said the court's decision was "unfair to survivors".

The state Court of Appeals ruling re-opens a chapter in America with sexual misconduct allegations against powerful figures being exposed.

The #MeToo era began to gain widespread momentum in 2017, with a flood of allegations against Weinstein and other big names in Hollywood.

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