Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced former film producer, is scheduled to appear in a Manhattan court on Wednesday for arraignment on a new indictment that could include up to three additional sex crime charges, according to his attorney. This latest legal development comes as Weinstein continues to face multiple legal challenges related to sexual assault allegations.
Arthur Aidala, Weinstein's lawyer, confirmed that his client will attend the court session in person. This appearance follows Weinstein's absence from a hearing last week due to his recovery from emergency heart surgery. The 72-year-old has been receiving medical care in the prison ward at Bellevue Hospital, where a judge has allowed him to remain indefinitely instead of returning to the Rikers Island jail complex.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office revealed at a September 12 hearing that a grand jury had returned a new sealed indictment against Weinstein. Prosecutors indicated that the grand jury heard evidence related to up to three alleged assaults. These incidents reportedly occurred at various locations in Lower Manhattan, including the Tribeca Grand Hotel (now known as the Roxy Hotel) in the mid-2000s and another Tribeca hotel in May 2016.
The specifics of the new charges remain unclear, as Aidala noted last week, "We don't know anything. We don't know what the exact accusations are, the exact locations are, what the timing is." The indictment will be unsealed during Wednesday's arraignment, providing more details about the nature of the allegations.
This new legal challenge comes as Weinstein awaits retrial in his landmark #MeToo case. Earlier this year, New York's highest court overturned his 2020 conviction, necessitating a new trial scheduled to begin on November 12. Prosecutors have expressed their intention to incorporate the new charges into the upcoming retrial, a move that Weinstein's legal team opposes, arguing for a separate case.
The Court of Appeals' decision to vacate Weinstein's previous conviction was based on the ruling that the trial judge had improperly allowed testimony against him from women whose allegations were not part of the case. This decision has reignited debates about the handling of high-profile sexual assault cases within the justice system.
Throughout his legal proceedings, Weinstein has consistently maintained that any sexual encounters were consensual. Once a powerful figure in Hollywood, Weinstein co-founded Miramax and The Weinstein Company, producing acclaimed films such as "Shakespeare in Love" and "The Crying Game." His fall from grace has been emblematic of the broader #MeToo movement, which has sought to address sexual misconduct in various industries.
