Manhattan Grand Jury Indicts Harvey Weinstein on New Charges
A Manhattan grand jury has officially indicted Harvey Weinstein on new charges, as confirmed by prosecutors during a court hearing on Thursday. Prosecutor Nicole Blumberg stated in court, “The grand jury has indicted Mr. Weinstein.”
The specific details of the indictment, which includes the new charges, will remain sealed until Weinstein is arraigned. Prosecutors indicated during a separate hearing last week that the indictment may involve sexual assault allegations made by three women.
Weinstein, the former film mogul, was noticeably absent from the hearing due to medical reasons; he was not cleared to attend following a heart procedure he underwent earlier in the week.
Prosecutors began building their case for the grand jury in mid-August. Although they have not disclosed the names of the three accusers, they provided descriptions of the allegations.
One incident is reported to have taken place at a lower Manhattan residential building during the winter months between 2005 and 2006. Another accuser claims to have been sexually assaulted in a Tribeca hotel in May 2016. Additionally, a third woman has accused Weinstein of sexual assault at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, as noted in the transcript from the hearing.
A source familiar with the situation relayed to CNN that the alleged assault at the Tribeca Grand is believed to have occurred during an unspecified week in 2006. Prosecutors also clarified during the hearing that these new charges are distinct from the allegations put forth by Jessica Mann and Mimi Haley, which are related to the retrial scheduled for November.
Judge Curtis Farber will now determine whether to consolidate the various cases into a single trial. While prosecutors have expressed their desire for the cases to be combined, Weinstein’s defense team is opposed to this action.
This story is developing, and further updates will follow as more information becomes available.