Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to a new first-degree felony charge. The 72-year-old former film producer appeared in a court in Manhattan on Wednesday (18.09.
24), as he faced the accusation of sexually assaulting a woman in a New York hotel in 2006. Asked for his plea during the hearing, Weinstein said: "Not guilty." Manhattan's district attorney Alvin Bragg Jr confirmed that Weinstein has been charged with a criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree, both of which related to a previous New York State Supreme Court indictment.
Bragg said: "Thanks to this survivor who bravely came forward, Harvey Weinstein now stands indicted for an additional alleged violent sexual assault. This investigation is ongoing. "If you have been sexually assaulted, I assure you that our team of dedicated prosecutors, investigators, social workers, and many more stand at the ready to support you.
" The new charges were not part of the case that led to his #MeToo conviction in 2020, which has subsequently been overturned. The new indictment charges were only announced last week, shortly after the former producer underwent emergency heart surgery at a hospital in Manhattan. Weinstein has always insisted that any sexual activity was consensual.
Earlier this month, indecent assault charges against Weinstein in the UK were dropped. The disgraced movie mogul - who is currently serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on three counts of sexual assault in a Los Ange.