Disgraced former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein made a public appearance at a Manhattan criminal courthouse on Wednesday, his first since his sex crimes conviction was overturned by New York's highest appeals court. Handcuffed to his wheelchair and dressed in a smart blue suit and tie with a US flag pin, Weinstein was wheeled into the courtroom by a court officer.

During the brief hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court, Justice Curtis Farber, the newly assigned judge, took the initial steps towards scheduling a new trial for the 72-year-old film producer. Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, including Alvin Bragg, expressed their readiness to retry the case and stated that they could be prepared as early as September.

"We believe in this case and will be retrying it," stated prosecutor Nicole Blumberg confidently. She added, "We have every belief that he will be convicted again after the trial." Blumberg acknowledged the presence of Jessica Mann, a victim who was seated in the first row of the courtroom gallery, emphasizing that she was there to demonstrate her unwavering resolve.

Weinstein's original conviction, which resulted in a 23-year sentence, stemmed from charges of forcibly performing oral sex on former "Project Runway" production assistant Miriam "Mimi" Haleyi in 2006 and sexually assaulting hairstylist Jessica Mann in 2013. However, in a contentious 4-3 ruling, the New York State Court of Appeals determined that Weinstein had not received a fair trial. The decision was criticized by his victims, who likened it to "pulling a scab off" their wounds.

The basis for the appeals court's ruling centered around the admission of testimony from three additional women, Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff, and Lauren Young, who detailed Weinstein's past misconduct. Judges Jenny Rivera, Rowan Wilson, Betsy Barros, and Christine Clark found that allowing their testimony influenced the jury against Weinstein. However, Judge Madeline Singas, in dissent, argued that the inclusion of this evidence was vital to understanding Weinstein's intent and history of sexual assault.

Weinstein remains ineligible for bail as he is currently serving a separate sentence of 16 years in prison in Los Angeles for the rape of an Italian model in 2003. His defense lawyer, Arthur Aidala, assured the court that Weinstein was "sharp as a tack" and as intelligent as ever.

Weinstein, currently receiving undisclosed medical treatment at Bellevue Hospital's prison ward, has filed a notice of appeal in his Los Angeles case, which is still pending. Prosecutors have clarified that the grounds for the New York conviction being overturned do not apply to the California case due to different rules regarding witness testimony in sexual assault trials.