Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty to New Sex Crime Charge

Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty to New Sex Crime Charge in New York

Disgraced Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein, 72, has pleaded not guilty to a new sex crime charge in New York. The charge stems from allegations of sexual assault made by a woman in a lower Manhattan hotel between April 29, 2006, and May 6, 2006.

Weinstein appeared in a Manhattan courtroom in a wheelchair, unshaven and visibly frail, to enter his plea to a single count of committing a criminal sexual act. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the new indictment is a result of the survivor’s bravery in coming forward, and that the investigation is ongoing.

Weinstein’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, stated that the alleged sexual assault occurred almost two decades ago and that he knows little more about the case at this time. The once-powerful movie mogul is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted on rape charges in California.

Weinstein was also convicted in New York in 2020 of the rape and sexual assault of an actress and of forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison in that case, but the New York Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in April, and a retrial is pending.

The new trial was scheduled to begin on November 12, but prosecutors have deemed the date “unrealistic.” A next court hearing for Weinstein has been scheduled for October 2.

Weinstein’s health has been a concern in recent weeks, as he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital last week from New York’s Rikers Island prison for emergency heart surgery. The allegations against him helped launch the #MeToo movement in 2017, a watershed moment for women fighting sexual misconduct.

More than 80 women accused Weinstein of harassment, sexual assault, or rape, including prominent actors Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ashley Judd. Weinstein has maintained that any sexual relations in question were consensual.

Weinstein and his brother Bob co-founded Miramax Films, which produced hits such as 1994’s “Pulp Fiction” and 1998’s “Shakespeare in Love,” for which Weinstein shared a best picture Oscar.