Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sex crime charge
Despite his failing health, Harvey Weinstein appeared in court on September 18th to face new charges over an alleged sexual assault in New York, to which the disgraced Hollywood producer pled not guilty.
The latest accusations stem from an incident in a Manhattan hotel that allegedly occurred in 2006, marking the latest in a long line of courtroom appearances for the former Miramax boss, who only last week was rushed to hospital after suffering medical issues.
Weinstein was taken from Rikers Island prison to Bellevue Hospital with chest pains, where he underwent emergency surgery. However, less than ten days later, he appeared in a person, confined to a wheelchair and entered a not-guilty plea for committing a criminal sexual act.
The surgery to remove fluid from his lungs and heart marked another major health issue for Weinstein, who’d already spent ten days in Bellevue months beforehand for a myriad of problems and was then readmitted shortly after when he tested positive for Covid-19 and contracted pneumonia in both lungs.
Local district attorney Alvin L Bragg released a statement condemning Weinstein, who “now stands indicted for an additional alleged violent sexual assault.” His legal woes remain far from over despite his not-guilty plea, though, with the ex-Miramax chief remaining in custody after being sentenced to 16 years behind bars for a separate 2013 crime in Los Angeles.
In addition, Weinstein is currently awaiting a retrial in New York after the court of appeals dismissed another rape conviction and subsequent 23-year sentence earlier this year, with a determination being made that because the presiding judge allowed testimony to be entered, heard, and accepted from women who weren’t directly tied to the case, he wasn’t given a fair trial.
Earlier this month, another charge against Weinstein in the United Kingdom was dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service ruled that “there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction” stemming from the inciting incident, said to have happened in 1996.
Weinstein may have entered a not-guilty plea, but prosecutors have nonetheless filed a motion that will consolidate the newest charge into the upcoming retrial, as both of the alleged crimes were committed in New York. A judge will make that ruling on October 2nd, and the retrial itself will begin on November 12th.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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