Harvey Weinstein has been charged with additional crimes in New York, as announced by prosecutors in a Manhattan court earlier today. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is preparing for a new trial for the former Hollywood executive after his previous conviction for rape was overturned.

In 2020, Weinstein, who is now 72, was found guilty of rape, but the New York Court of Appeals dismissed that conviction in April, ruling that he did not receive a fair trial. This was due to a judge improperly allowing testimony from alleged victims he had not been formally charged with assaulting. Currently, Weinstein is hospitalized as he recovers from emergency heart surgery.

In July, prosecutors mentioned they were looking into further violent sexual assaults reportedly committed by Weinstein after more women came forward to testify against him. Weinstein has consistently denied any non-consensual sexual activity.

Today, Weinstein’s representative, Juda Engelmayer, stated that Weinstein is “resting in a hospital due to heart surgery and is connected to various medical monitors, IV tubes, and drainage bags.”

Engelmayer also claimed the district attorney’s office has been obstructing Weinstein’s access to necessary medical treatment and has “not yet provided” details about the new indictments. Therefore, “we are unaware of the specifics, the individuals involved, or when these incidents may have occurred.”

Engelmayer stated, “It seems the District Attorney would prefer that Harvey does not survive to face trial.”

During a hearing with Judge Curtis Farber in Manhattan’s state court, prosecutor Nicole Blumberg did not reveal the specifics of the new charges against Weinstein.

The indictment remains sealed, with an arraignment scheduled for September 18, as reported by The Associated Press.

Judge Farber has preliminarily set the trial date for November 12 but is open to starting it sooner.

Weinstein’s legal team argues that it is unjust for the prosecutors to introduce new victims into the case after his conviction was overturned.

“Once again, we have a hotline: ‘1-800 Get Harvey,'” defense attorney Arthur Aidala commented in court on July 9.

Latest Indictment Comes After Heart Surgery for Harvey Weinstein

The former Hollywood mogul’s health has significantly declined in recent years, according to his representatives, and he now uses a wheelchair due to chronic back issues.

Weinstein was taken to Bellevue Hospital late Sunday due to several medical issues and had emergency heart surgery, representatives Craig Rothfeld and Engelmayer confirmed to YSL News on Monday.

They stated, “We can confirm that Mr. Weinstein underwent a heart procedure today, but cannot provide further details.” They added, “As previously noted, Mr. Weinstein faces numerous significant health challenges that require ongoing treatment. We thank the staff at the New York City Department of Correction and Rikers Island for their quick action that led to him being taken to Bellevue Hospital.”

Even after the New York conviction was overturned, Weinstein remains incarcerated at the Rikers Island jail complex due to a separate rape conviction in California.

In July, he was transferred to a hospital ward from Rikers while dealing with multiple health issues, including COVID-19.

Weinstein’s original conviction in New York was a significant milestone in the #MeToo movement, as it led to numerous allegations from women against many individuals in entertainment, media, politics, and other sectors regarding sexual misconduct.

A jury determined that Weinstein sexually assaulted former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006 and raped aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. These two are part of more than 80 women who have accused him of sexual misconduct.

Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years for the New York charges and an additional 16 years for the separate case in California.

In that case, a jury in Los Angeles found Weinstein guilty of rape, forcible oral copulation, and sexual penetration by a foreign object involving one female victim but acquitted him regarding charges connected to another alleged victim.

The presiding judge declared a mistrial on the counts where the jury couldn’t reach a unanimous decision, which included allegations made by Siebel Newsom, spouse of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The California conviction remains unaffected by the New York Court’s decision, and Weinstein has not yet begun.

Weinstein is currently serving his sentence in California.

During his time leading Miramax, Weinstein was behind blockbuster films such as “Shakespeare in Love” and “Pulp Fiction.” However, after accusations against him surfaced, his film studio declared bankruptcy in March 2018, leading to its downfall.

In the New York trial, prosecutors depicted Weinstein as a habitual predator, claiming he lured women with promises of enhancing their careers in Hollywood. He was alleged to have invited them to hotel rooms or private residences, where he would then assault them.

At his sentencing in Manhattan in 2020, Weinstein expressed concerns about “the thousands of men who are losing due process” in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Contributors: Jack Queen, Reuters; Taijuan Moorman and Edward Segarra, YSL News