New York, New York - Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein's retrial on rape and sex assault charges began Tuesday, forcing survivors who helped fire up the "#MeToo" movement to prepare to testify against him once more.

Weinstein's 2020 conviction by a jury was overturned last year by an appeals court that ruled that the way witnesses were handled in the original New York trial was unlawful.

The voiding of the jury's verdict by the New York Court of Appeals was a setback to survivors of the #MeToo movement against sexual violence and the promotion of justice for them.

Weinstein was wheeled into court wearing a dark blue suit and adjusted his tie as he took his seat at the defense table while the trial lawyers spoke to the judge.

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Judge Curtis Farber said he expected the presentation of evidence to last five to six weeks.

"I am hopeful the trial will be over by the end of May," he said.

Several dozen prospective jurors indicated they felt they could not give Weinstein a fair trial because of what they knew about the case.

The onetime Miramax studio boss was charged with the sexual assault of former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006, the rape of aspiring actor Jessica Mann in 2013, and a new count for an alleged sexual assault in 2006 at a hotel in Manhattan.

Haleyi and Mann testified in the earlier trial, sharing graphic accounts of their interactions with Weinstein.

Lindsay Goldbrum, a lawyer for the unnamed woman who brought the new complaint, told reporters outside court that "she had the honor of representing an incredible woman."

"They are going to ensure Weinstein is held accountable for his heinous crimes against women," she said. "The fact they are going to testify again is testimony to their bravery."

Weinstein (73) said he hopes the case will be judged with "fresh eyes," more than seven years after investigations by the New York Times and the New Yorker led to his spectacular downfall and a global backlash against predatory abusers.

Weinstein is serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted on separate charges in California in 2023 for raping and assaulting a European actor a decade prior.