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Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty To Additional Sexual Assault Charges In LA

Source: Screenshot YouTube

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom in a wheelchair on Wednesday one day after he was extradited to California to face 11 new sexual assault charges.

Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty

The Sun reported that Weinstein, 69, pled not guilty to 11 counts of rape and sexual assault. He is facing an additional 140 years in prison if he is convicted on all of these charges.

“Good luck, Mr Weinstein,” the judge said before setting his next court date. The former Hollywood power player responded by simply saying, “thank you very much.”

Weinstein Allegedly Suffering From Medical Issues

Weinstein was seen exiting a private jet on Tuesday, using a walker and being supported by a chest strap as he walked off the plane.

His attorneys claimed that Weinstein was suffering from various serious health issues. They tried to fight his extradition to California from New York. But, they had no luck.

He’s been serving a 23-year prison sentence for other sexual assault charges.

You can see more about his extradition and court appearance right here:

“He has spinal stenosis, he’s going blind in one eye, he’s missing teeth. He really needs urgent medical care,” Weinstein lawyer Mark Werksman told The Daily Mail.

Weinstein’s rep Juda Engelmayer added that his legal team was disappointed that they were not able to successfully stop his extradition.

“We will be fighting so that Harvey can receive his needed medical care and of course, so that he can be treated fairly,” she said. “Due process, presumption of innocence and a fair trial are all still his rights.”

Prosecutors Fire Back At Weinstein

Weinstein’s lawyers tried to argue that he would not be able to receive the medical care that he needs in Los Angeles, but Erie County assistant district attorney Colleen Gable was not having any of it.

“It’s Los Angeles. It’s not some remote outpost that doesn’t have medical care,” she said. “There is absolutely nothing in either doctor’s report that says this treatment can’t be done in Los Angeles. Los Angeles has some of the best medical care in the country and the world.”

Prior to 2017, Weinstein was arguably the most powerful man in Hollywood and a top Democratic Party donor who counted the likes of Barack and Michelle Obama as personal friends.

That all changed when the #MeToo movement was launched with dozens of women coming forward to accuse him of various sex crimes over the course of decades.

Weinstein has maintained his innocence in the face of any crimes, claiming that all of the sexual encounters that he’s had in his life were consensual.

Nevertheless, Harvey Weinstein was convicted of sexual assault in New York. And, things certainly seem to be heading that way in California.

In the end, it’s unlikely that Weinstein will ever be a free man again.

James Conrad

James Conrad’s passion for politics is only overshadowed by his longstanding interest in Hollywood. His unique perspective as a gay conservative fuels him to challenge celebrity views and those who think they have a right to tell anyone how to think or vote. James proudly wields his minority point of view to combat identity politics and cut through his typecast. Fun fact: James’ guilty pleasure is the British royal family.