Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty Again to Sexual Assault

(Bloomberg) -- Harvey Weinstein learned Monday that life as a defendant carries more restrictions than his former job as a Hollywood power broker, after a New York judge scolded him for repeatedly texting during court hearings, including at an arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to sexual-assault charges.

New York Supreme Court Judge James M. Burke confronted Weinstein after a brief recess, after officers in the Manhattan courtroom saw the movie mogul using his phone during the hearing and in earlier proceedings.

As Weinstein fumbled to answer, the judge interrupted him. “Please refrain,” Burke said. “Don’t do it. That is a court order.”

Weinstein was in court to face a revised indictment that prosecutors drafted to allow “The Sopranos” actress Annabella Sciorra to testify against him. He had been previously accused of sexually assaulting two other women, but prosecutors sought to have Sciorra testify at the trial that Weinstein sexually assaulted her. He faces charges that carry terms of up to life in prison.

The trial had been set for Sept. 9, but Burke postponed it until Jan. 6 because of the revised indictment.

Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon argued unsuccessfully for an earlier trial date, saying there were “absolutely no surprises” in the new indictment.

Noting that an earlier team of defense lawyers had promised to be ready for trial in May, Burke turned to Weinstein and said, “Do you want to go to trial?”

“Not really,” Weinstein said with a bitter laugh.

Weinstein’s lawyers said after court that they needed more time to review the new indictment and decide if they’re going to seek a dismissal.

“We feel we will be successful” in winning a dismissal of the new charges, defense lawyer Donna Rotunno said.

As he left the Lower Manhattan courtroom, Weinstein declared the proceeding was “a home run for the good guys.”

A judge had ruled earlier that Sciorra couldn’t testify because she hadn’t appeared before the grand jury that indicted Weinstein. Prosecutors then presented the case again to the grand jury to allow for Sciorra’s testimony.

Weinstein is charged with raping a woman in 2013 and forcing a different woman into a sex act in 2006. He has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex. He’s free on $1 million bail.

Weinstein and his brother Bob started Miramax in 1979 and gained a reputation for creating edgy and critically acclaimed fare, including “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” “Clerks” and “Shakespeare in Love.”

Walt Disney Co. acquired the company in 1993, and it changed hands multiple times since then. The brothers founded Weinstein Co. in 2005. That business went into bankruptcy after sexual-assault claims were brought against Harvey Weinstein.

To contact the reporters on this story: Patricia Hurtado in Federal Court in Manhattan at pathurtado@bloomberg.net;Gerald Porter Jr. in New York at gporter30@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steve Stroth at sstroth@bloomberg.net

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