Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to new sexual assault charges. The case involves a woman who said Weinstein sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan hotel in the spring of 2006, according to a statement from the New York District Attorney’s Office.
Weinstein’s press team said in a statement that they had no details about the person, place or incident involved. But they will do everything possible to address the allegations. According to Weinstein, the sexual activity was always consensual.
The new charges were announced last week, but the details remain secret. The so-called grand jury clears the way for further proceedings against the 72-year-old. A grand jury is a group of jurors who decide whether to indict a person in a case after prosecutors present evidence.
Weinstein appeared in court on the 19th (local time) to read the indictment. According to media reports, he was sitting in a wheelchair. The former producer, who was in poor health, had heart surgery on September 8th. He has been hospitalized in New York since then.
Additional trials scheduled to begin in November
The new charges are unrelated to the landmark 2020 conviction against Weinstein, which was overturned by a New York appeals court in late April. Prosecutors said they would reopen the proceedings, which were initially set to begin in November.
Weinstein, once a Hollywood powerhouse, was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020 for sexual assault. The numerous attacks on women he was accused of have sparked the global MeToo movement, which has drawn attention to sexual assault by men, particularly among women.
This has caused serious problems for countless people around the world, including many celebrities. Weinstein was convicted of similar crimes in Los Angeles, and remains in prison for those crimes.
Harvey Weinstein faces another trial. Photo: Seth Wenig/POOL AP/AP
