Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sexual assault charges

The 72-year-old Weinstein underwent heart surgery last week and arrived at the courthouse in a wheelchair. A so-called grand jury, made up of civilians, decided on a new indictment, adding to a long list of charges for which he has already been tried twice, in New York and Los Angeles.

“Thanks to this victim who courageously testified (about a sexual assault in Manhattan in 2006, ed.), Harvey Weinstein has now been charged with an alleged new case of sexual assault,” said Attorney General Alvin Bragg.

Later this year, the trial in which Weinstein was convicted of raping actress Jessica Mann and sexually assaulting production assistant Mimi Haleyi is set to be retried. The appeals court overturned that conviction in late April.

More than 80 women

The previously mentioned start date, November 12, is called “unrealistic” by the public prosecutor’s office, and the judge has set a new procedural hearing for October 2.

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of harassment, sexual assault or rape. Among them are big names such as Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd. Jessica Mann has already announced that she will testify again in a new trial.

The overturning of the conviction has no effect on the 16-year prison sentence to which Weinstein was sentenced last year in Los Angeles, against which he appealed.