Harvey Weinstein faced arraignment in a New York City courtroom on Wednesday for an additional sex crime charge, just two months before his retrial in the high-profile #MeToo case that has marked his downfall, Daniel Arkin of NBC News reported.
Weinstein, arriving in a wheelchair due to recent emergency heart surgery, pleaded not guilty to a first-degree criminal sexual act. His attorney noted that he is currently taking 19 medications.
Under New York law, a first-degree criminal sexual act involves engaging in oral or anal sexual conduct through forcible compulsion. This charge, a class B felony, stems from an alleged sexual assault in 2006 at a hotel in lower Manhattan, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“Weinstein now faces an additional charge thanks to the courage of this survivor,” Bragg said, noting that the investigation remains ongoing.
Over 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual assault or harassment spanning decades, allegations that ignited the global #MeToo movement, exposing abuse of power across multiple industries. Weinstein has consistently denied the accusations, claiming all encounters were consensual.
In early 2020, a New York jury convicted Weinstein of third-degree rape against Jessica Mann, an aspiring actor, and a first-degree criminal sex act against Mimi Haley, a former “Project Runway” production assistant. He was acquitted of two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of first-degree rape. The court later ruled that errors in the trial warranted a retrial, which is scheduled for November 12. Haley has agreed to testify again, and Mann has stated her intention to use her “voice” against him in court.
The new indictment is based on the grand jury testimony of another woman, whose attorney, Lindsay M. Goldbrum, affirmed that her client is prepared to testify and seek justice.
While awaiting retrial at Rikers Island, Weinstein has been permitted to remain at Bellevue Hospital instead of being returned to the prison infirmary. This decision was made following a request from his defense team.
In addition to the New York case, Weinstein was convicted of rape and sexual assault in a separate Los Angeles trial in late 2022, for which he was sentenced to 16 years. He is currently appealing the verdict in Los Angeles. Throughout both trials, Weinstein maintained his innocence and declined to testify in his own defense.
Once a powerhouse in the film industry, Weinstein’s career as co-head of Miramax and The Weinstein Co. was legendary. He produced groundbreaking films like “Pulp Fiction” and distributed Oscar-winning hits such as “Shakespeare in Love” and “The King’s Speech.” However, his fall from grace came swiftly in October 2017, following investigative reports in The New York Times and The New Yorker, which revealed years of alleged sexual misconduct. This sparked a wave of other women coming forward with accusations against powerful figures across various industries.
In April, Weinstein’s 23-year prison sentence from his first trial was overturned by New York’s state Court of Appeals in a narrow 4-3 decision. The court criticized the trial judge for allowing testimony from women whose allegations were not directly part of the charges, deeming it “highly prejudicial.”