Harvey Weinstein appears in court to face new charges

Harvey Weinstein appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Monday to face a judge on new sex assault charges.

News 12 Staff

Aug 26, 2019, 10:47 PM

Updated 1,966 days ago

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Harvey Weinstein appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Monday to face a judge on new sex assault charges.
Weinstein plead not guilty on a new indictment that includes revised charges of predatory sexual assault. Weinstein is set to stand trial for allegedly raping and forcing himself onto two women. This new indictment clears the way for a third woman, actress Annabella Sciorra, to testify at that trial.
Sciorra, best known for her role on “The Sopranos,” says Weinstein raped her inside her Manhattan apartment in 1993. Due to statute of limitations, Weinstein cannot be charged with that alleged crime, but prosecutors want to use Sciorra's testimony to try to prove Weinstein had a pattern of assaulting women.
"She's willing to, under that questioning, even though there is no personal benefit to herself, and even though it could be extremely stressful to her," said Gloria Allred, Scriorra's attorney.
Weinstein's attorney, Donna Rotunno, called the new indictment "desperate."
"I think the case itself is weak, and I think they feel like they need this portion to help with what they have," Rotunno said. "We plan on filing many motions attempting to again, dismiss these counts."
Keith Scott, the director of education at "The Safe Center," says Sciorra testifying in open court will help other sex assault victims.
Court papers unsealed Monday indicate that, in addition to Sciorra, prosecutors plan to call three other women as witnesses to try to demonstrate a pattern of "prior bad acts" by Weinstein.
The trial, which was set to begin in September, has now been delayed until Jan. 6.