Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is urging legislators to change the law to help survivors of sex assault get justice. Bragg wants to allow prosecutors to include testimony about previous ‘bad acts’ against defendants, so all accusers’ voices can be heard.
Background
This comes after Bragg’s office opted not to retry movie mogul Harvey Weinstein on a rape charge. Weinstein was previously convicted in 2020, but the conviction was overturned in 2024. Bragg’s office is now focused on supporting survivors, including Jessica Mann, who accused Weinstein of rape.
Mann wrote a letter to the court saying she could no longer endure going through the trial process again. Bragg called Mann’s letter ‘sobering and heartbreaking.’ He said his office is working with legislators to change the law to allow for more evidence to be presented in similar cases.
Proposed Law Change
Coordinated bills have been introduced in the New York State Assembly and Senate to amend state criminal law and allow evidence of other crimes or acts to prove matters such as motive, intent, and planning. Bragg believes this change is necessary to support survivors and ensure they receive justice.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
