Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sex crimes charges

Disgraced Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty to a new sex crime charge in New York on Wednesday.

Weinstein, 72, who underwent emergency heart surgery just over a week ago, appeared in a Manhattan courtroom in a wheelchair to plead guilty to a single count of committing a criminal sex act.

The once-powerful movie mogul was unshaven and appeared pale and visibly frail during his brief court appearance before Judge Curtis Farber, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and blue tie.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the new charges against Weinstein relate to the alleged sexual assault of a woman in a Lower Manhattan hotel sometime between April 29 and May 6, 2006.

“Thanks to this survivor who bravely came forward, Harvey Weinstein is now facing trial for yet another alleged sexual assault,” Bragg said in a statement.

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“This investigation is still ongoing,” he added.

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Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala told reporters after the indictment that the alleged sexual abuse underlying the new charges occurred “almost two decades ago” and “at this point I don't know much more about it.”

Weinstein is serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted of rape in California.

In 2020, he was also convicted in New York of raping and sexually assaulting an actress and forcing oral sex on a production assistant.

In this case he was sentenced to 23 years in prison.

However, the New York Court of Appeals overturned the verdict in April, and Weinstein is now awaiting a retrial on those charges.

The new trial was originally scheduled to begin on November 12, but prosecutors said on Wednesday that this date was “unrealistic.”

Farber has scheduled Weinstein's next court hearing for October 2.

The former Hollywood star suffered from numerous health problems during his imprisonment and spent some time in a closed clinic.

Weinstein was transferred from New York's Rikers Island prison to Bellevue Hospital last week to undergo emergency heart surgery.

The allegations against Weinstein helped launch the #MeToo movement in 2017, a turning point for women in the fight against sexual assault.

More than 80 women accused him of harassment, sexual assault or rape, including prominent actresses Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd.

Weinstein claimed that all sexual relationships in question were consensual.

Weinstein and his brother Bob co-founded Miramax Films.

Her hits included “Pulp Fiction” (1994) and “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), for which Weinstein won an Oscar for Best Picture.