Harvey Weinstein Reveals Violent Rikers Island Attack: 'I Was Bleeding Everywhere'

Harvey Weinstein claims he was punched hard in the face by a fellow inmate at New York's Rikers Island jail, leaving him bleeding profusely on the floor. The 73-year-old convicted rapist described the attack in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, his first major one since sentencing, saying it happened while he waited to use a phone.

Weinstein Describes Rikers Island Assault And 'Bleeding' In Prison

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in what was billed as his first major interview since receiving a lengthy prison sentence, Harvey Weinstein said he now spends his days largely confined to his cell at Rikers Island, speaking only to guards and nurses and separated from other prisoners.

'It's too dangerous for me to be around anyone else. Other inmates get to go to the yard. But every time I'm out there, I feel like I'm under siege,' he said.

'One time while I was waiting to use the phone, I asked the guy in front of me if he was done. He got off and punched me hard in the face,' Weinstein told the magazine. 'I fell on the floor, bleeding everywhere. I was hurt really badly. The cops asked me who had done it, but I couldn't say. You can't be a rat. That's the law of the jungle.'

Weinstein Denies Guilt Amid Rikers Island Claims

Weinstein remains defiant about the charges. He insists he never committed sexual assault, framing his actions as infidelity to his wife. 'The thing I was doing wrong was not sexual assault. It was cheating on my wife. I was desperate to keep that secret from her,' he said.

Weinstein acknowledged that he invited people to his hotel rooms and suggested that some encounters involved an understanding of what was expected. 'I had lots of people come see me (in a hotel room). But there were some women who knew exactly what was expected. Maybe they felt bad later or they regretted it,' he said. The 73-year-old convicted rapist claimed that some of his accusers were motivated mainly by financial gain.

'Yes, there was a power imbalance. I know I can be scary and difficult,' he acknowledged. 'But that's still a long way from sexual assault.' He promised innocence in an upcoming retrial on the remaining rape charge. 'I will be proven innocent. That I promise you.'​

In 2017, major investigations by The New Yorker and The New York Times detailed accounts from several young women, unleashing a wave of allegations from more than 80 complainants and helping to propel the #MeToo movement worldwide.

Weinstein's first New York conviction, delivered in 2020 and resulting in a 23‑year sentence, was later overturned on appeal. In June, however, a retrial in the state again found him guilty on two counts of sexual assault. Separately, a California court convicted him of rape and, in 2023, imposed a 16‑year sentence to run after his New York term.

Weinstein Cites Failing Health And Fear Of Dying Behind Bars

Beyond the legal battle, Harvey Weinstein used the interview to set out details of his deteriorating health. The producer, who now uses a wheelchair, said he had undergone a heart operation while incarcerated and had been diagnosed with bone cancer.

He told the publication he was afraid of spending the rest of his life in custody. 'It scares the s*** out of me,' he said, referring to the prospect of dying in prison. 'It's incredible to have the life that I had and the things that I did for society and not have the leniency to deal with me in a kinder way,' he said.

'Whatever they think I did bad in my life, I didn't get the death penalty. I'm going to be 74 in March. I don't want to die in here', he added.