Harvey Weinstein denies fresh sexual assault allegation in court

September 19, 2024

Updated: September 19, 2024

NEW YORK — On Wednesday, Harvey Weinstein,⁤ the infamous Hollywood producer, entered a plea of not guilty to a fresh sexual assault charge. This‍ comes approximately five months after his ⁤previous ‍sex crimes conviction in New York was overturned.

At the age of 72 and recovering⁤ from an urgent heart surgery, Weinstein ⁢made his plea⁤ in a New York state ⁤court in Manhattan, before Justice Curtis Farber. He is accused of committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree.

When⁢ asked for his plea to the felony charge, Weinstein responded with a firm, “Not guilty.”

Despite this, Weinstein is still facing two other criminal charges from a previous indictment, to which he also pleaded not guilty. These include another charge of a first-degree criminal sexual act and a third-degree rape charge.

Weinstein, dressed in a dark suit and a blue ‌tie, ‌appeared in court ‍in a wheelchair, with a noticeable large⁣ bandage on his right hand.

The latest charge, announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, alleges that Weinstein sexually assaulted a woman in a downtown Manhattan hotel‌ between April 29 and May 6, 2006.

Bragg⁣ expressed his gratitude ⁤to the survivor‌ who courageously came forward, leading to Weinstein’s indictment for an additional ⁤alleged ⁤violent sexual ‍assault.

The identity of ⁣Weinstein’s most recent accuser has not been made public yet.

Her lawyer, Lindsay Goldbrum, stated that she is fully prepared to‌ testify at trial and hold Weinstein accountable before a jury of his peers.

It remains uncertain whether the three charges Weinstein currently faces will be included in a potential retrial.

In February 2020, less than 2½ years after ‌the #MeToo movement was sparked by sexual misconduct accusations ⁢against‌ him, Weinstein was found guilty of‍ rape and sexual assault by jurors. However, the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, overturned Weinstein’s conviction and 23-year sentence in April, citing an unfair trial due to the inclusion of testimonies from women who Weinstein was not⁣ charged with assaulting.

Weinstein has consistently denied⁢ all allegations of nonconsensual sexual encounters. His original trial judge, James‍ Burke, was not reappointed⁢ to the bench after his term expired at the end of ‌2022.

New charge may postpone retrial

Two months after prosecutors announced they were investigating additional alleged “violent sexual assaults” by Weinstein, the new charge was announced. This came after new accusers‍ stepped forward.

Justice Farber had initially set⁣ a tentative⁤ retrial date for Nov. 12, but prosecutors ‍stated on Wednesday that they would likely not be ready until January.

Arthur Aidala, Weinstein’s ⁣lawyer, stated that‍ his client is eager to go to trial “as soon as humanly possible.”⁣ He later told reporters ⁣that Weinstein was “vehemently opposed” to the addition of the new charge to the original case and wants a retrial on the original charges as soon as possible.

While no new trial⁢ date has been set by Farber, he stated that he would proceed when both parties are ready.

Weinstein remains in custody ⁢due to a separate ⁢conviction last year in‍ California for the 2013 rape of an actress in Los Angeles, for which he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

According to Weinstein’s lawyers, he is dealing with numerous health issues. He was rushed from ⁢New York City’s Rikers Island jail to the hospital⁤ on Sept. 8 for‌ heart surgery.

Weinstein, once one of Hollywood’s most influential figures, co-founded the Miramax studio, which produced‌ hits like “Shakespeare in Love” ⁣and “Pulp Fiction.”

Following the⁢ original accusations of sexual misconduct, Weinstein’s film studio filed‌ for bankruptcy in March 2018.

In the New York trial, ⁢prosecutors painted⁤ Weinstein as a serial predator who used promises of career advancement in Hollywood to lure women into hotel rooms or private apartments, where he then ⁣overpowered and assaulted them.