Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty To Sexual Assault Charges In Los Angeles Court

Editor's note: This report discusses charges of sexual assault.

Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault in a Los Angeles County courtroom Wednesday. He is accused of sexually assaulted five women in separate incidents that span nearly a decade.

Weinstein is already serving a 23-year prison sentence for rape and sexual abuse in New York. He was extradited to California early Tuesday for his arraignment.

According to an indictment filed by the Los Angeles County district attorney and unsealed Wednesday, the alleged incidents took place between 2004 and 2013. The formal charges include four counts each of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery by restraint and one count of sexual penetration by use of force.

In a statement Wednesday, the Los Angeles County district attorney, George Gascón, said: "Anyone who abuses their power and influence to prey upon others will be brought to justice."

According to NBC's Los Angeles affiliate, the former movie producer was brought into court in a wheelchair by sheriff's deputies. Weinstein is scheduled to return to court on Jul. 29. [Copyright 2021 NPR]