Harvey Weinstein enters not guilty plea to latest sex crime charge in New York | Entertainment & Arts News
Accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a New York hotel in 2006, Harvey Weinstein has appeared in court facing a new sex crime charge.
The new indictment against the disgraced film producer was revealed shortly after he underwent emergency heart surgery in a Manhattan hospital to address issues with fluid on his heart and lungs.
Although prosecutors did not provide further details initially, they did confirm that the new charges were separate from the case that led to Weinstein’s overturned #MeToo conviction in 2020.
At his recent court appearance in Manhattan, Weinstein pleaded not guilty to the new first-degree felony charge from a wheelchair.
Pic: Jeenah Moon via AP
Denying the charges, Weinstein, 72, asserted that any sexual activity was consensual.
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The new indictment accuses Weinstein of a sex act in 2006 in a Manhattan hotel, along with other charges related to a previous indictment.
Manhattan’s district attorney has emphasized the importance of the survivor coming forward and the ongoing support for survivors of sexual assault.
No specifics about the accuser in the new charge have been disclosed yet.
The accuser’s lawyer expressed readiness to present the case in court.
The original conviction being overturned:
Weinstein is also facing a retrial for his conviction, which was overturned due to issues with the trial process.
Despite the overturned conviction, Weinstein remains in custody for another conviction from last year.
The retrial is set to begin in November, potentially delayed due to the new indictment.
Prosecutors plan to include the new charges in the retrial, while Weinstein’s legal team advocates for a separate case.
In a separate development, prosecutors in the UK dropped indecent assault charges against Weinstein earlier in September.
Once a prominent figure in Hollywood, Weinstein co-founded renowned production companies and produced acclaimed films.
Given his health condition, Weinstein will remain in the hospital ward, as decided by a judge last week.
