CNN —The New York Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned the sex crimes conviction against Harvey Weinstein, the powerful Hollywood producer whose downfall stood as a symbol of the #MeToo movement. Douglas H. Wigdor, an attorney who has represented eight of Weinstein’s accusers, including two of the “prior bad acts” witnesses at his New York criminal trial, criticized the ruling. In addition, three other women testified during the trial as “prior bad acts” witnesses as prosecutors sought to show Weinstein had a pattern of abuse. The use of “prior bad acts” witnesses has increased in recent years with the rise of the #MeToo movement. “Prior bad acts” evidence is one exception to this rule.

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Persons: Harvey Weinstein, “, uncharged, Jenny Rivera, ” Weinstein, Weinstein, ” Donna Rotunno, ”, Emily Tuttle, Douglas H, Weinstein’s, MeToo, Bill Cosby, Miriam Haley, Jessica Mann, Haley, Mann Organizations: CNN, The New, Hollywood, Correctional Facility, of Corrections, Attorney’s, Manhattan, The New York Times, Yorker Locations: The New York, Rome , New York, Los Angeles, New York, Manhattan, York, Hollywood, Love, Pennsylvania