New charges against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein ahead of highly anticipated sex crimes trial in New York

New charges have been brought against disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein by a Manhattan grand jury ahead of his highly anticipated second sex crimes trial in the city, prosecutors said Thursday.

“The grand jury has indicted Mr. Weinstein,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg said during a court hearing this morning.

“We have not yet released the actual indictment, so we will not discuss the details.”

The new indictment adds additional charges to Weinstein's upcoming sex crimes trial, which follows the overturning of his original conviction and 23-year prison sentence in April.

It also follows Weinstein's recent health scare, which resulted in him being admitted to Bellevue Hospital.
Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala said Weinstein “almost died” during his recent health scare, which required open-heart surgery.

“He has a kind of shunt in his chest that is connected to a bag that drains fluids from his body,” Aidala said.

The next medical update on Weinstein's health is scheduled for September 18.

The second trial was originally scheduled to take place in November, but Judge Curtis Farber questioned Thursday whether it was “premature” to assume it could take place then, given Weinstein's health problems.

Aidala argued that the new charges must be brought “separately” from the previous charges on which prosecutors sought to retry Weinstein.

“We will be ready for trial with our new survivors on November 12,” Blumberg replied.