Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty in New York court for new sex-crime charges

Shamed Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty Monday in New York at his second arraignment on multiple new felony sex-crimes charges.

Weinstein appeared for the brief hearing in Manhattan for a formal reading of the criminal complaint setting out the expanded charges against him, involving a third female accuser. He was brought into the courtroom while handcuffed from behind, then uncuffed for the proceeding.

The judge ordered that Weinstein be released on continued bail – he was freed on $1 million bail in May and is confined to New York and Connecticut – though prosecutors argued for house arrest.

Lawyer Ben Brafman argued that there was no evidence the 66-year-old would flee, and says Weinstein maintains all the allegations are false.

"We are pleased the court recognized the current bail conditions are adequate. Mr. Weinstein has told me, and I have told the court, that his primary objective is to clear his name," Brafman said at a news conference following the arraignment. "The more I investigate this case, the more I realize the charges in this indictment are very defensible indeed."

Brafman continued, calling the day's proceedings a formality.

"Mr Weinstein is not a predator, he is not a rapist, and I believe that when this case is over we will ultimately see him to be exonerated."

The New York grand jury investigating accusations of sexual assault involving Weinstein issued a second indictment against him on July 2, adding another count of first-degree criminal sexual act and two counts of predatory sexual assault for a forcible sexual act involving a third woman.

Gloria Allred, the attorney for the woman who has not been publicly identified, said outside the courthouse that her client will testify if the case goes to trial. She added that she doubted Brafman would allow Weinstein to do the same, because it would open him to cross examination by prosecutors.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said Weinstein is charged with "some of the most serious sexual offenses" that exist under state law.

The indictment says Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on the new accuser in July 2006. The charge is a Class A-II felony that carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if he is convicted, according to Vance.

Vance continues to appeal to other potential accusers of Weinstein in New York to come forward to police and prosecutors.

In May, the grand jury indicted Weinstein on three felony sex crimes, first- and third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sex act, stemming from encounters in New York with two women in 2004 and in 2013.

Only one accuser has been identified because she came forward publicly. Former actress Lucia Evans has said in interviews that Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex at his office in 2004. The other accuser told investigators that Weinstein cornered her in a hotel room and raped her in 2013.

Weinstein, once one of Hollywood's most powerful movie moguls, has consistently denied any nonconsensual sexual encounters with his accusers, now numbering nearly 90. The women began coming forward in October 2017 with shocking stories of how he allegedly groped, harassed, coerced or raped them in episodes dating back decades and in locations around the world.

So far, New York is the first jurisdiction to lodge criminal charges against him, but he is under investigation in California and London. . The accusations against Weinstein helped set off the #MeToo movement to call out sexual harassment and assault and have led to the fall of scores of powerful men in multiple industries, but especially in Hollywood. Other Hollywood figures also are under investigation in Los Angeles and London, but so far Weinstein is the only one who has been charged with sex crimes.

Contributing: The Associated Press 

WPXI