Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty

CREDIT: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

Sitting inside a Los Angeles courtroom, Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to 11 sexual assault charges, just one day after being moved from his New York prison cell.

He appeared at the court in a wheelchair, wearing a medical mask situated just under his nose.

His attorneys have previously stated he has deteriorating physical health, which explains the use of the wheelchair. He used a walker each trial day in New York last year during his criminal trial. It wasn't until March 2020 where he started using a wheelchair.

During the short trial, Weinstein did and said very little. His lawyer filed a motion in order to dismiss three of the 11 sexual charges against him, exclaiming the statute of limitations had expired. A medical evaluation was also requested, and granted.

CREDIT: Mark Lennihan/AP

The 11 counts of sexual assault against Weinstein include four counts of forcible rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery by restraint, and one count of sexual penetration by use of force.

The accounts have included five different women between 2004 and 2013.

He will be appearing in court again on July 29th, 2021.

Weinstein's lawyer Mark Werksman said, "He absolutely, unequivocally and categorically denies the allegations in this indictment. They're unprovable, unproven, uncredible, and unsubstantiated, and that will become clear as we litigate this case."

They made representations to the court that they would attend to his medical needs and we expect them to. And we've asked the judge to order that they do and I expect that they will," he said in accordance to the fact that Weinstein is going blind in one eye, and uses a wheelchair due to his struggles with spinal stenosis. 

CREDIT: John Minchillo/AP

Gloria Allred, representing two of the victims, took big issue with Werksman's comments regarding the allegations.

"Allegations of sexual assault and rape do take a long time to report, so the idea that they may not have disclosed to a law enforcement officer for many years does not mean that those are not credible."

She also addressed his medical needs, "We want him to be in good shape for the trial."

Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence at a maximum-security prison outside of Buffalo, New York for criminal sexual act charges, and third-degree rape.

CREDIT: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images