Harvey Weinstein pleads “not guilty” to sexual charges against him

Accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has pled not guilty to the charges of rape and other acts of sexual misconduct against him.

According to a report by variety, Weinstein had appeared in a Manhattan court on Tuesday to enter his plea.

Weinstein replied, “Not guilty.” When asked how he pleaded to first-degree criminal sexual act and other charges against him.

The charges involve two alleged victims, Lucia Evans, claiming that Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex at his Tribeca office in 2004. The other woman has not been named, but she is alleging that Weinstein held her against her will and raped her at a Manhattan hotel room in 2013.

More than 80 women, including the actresses Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd, and Rose McGowan have come forward with similar stories about Weinstein. He has been accused of using physical force to compel them to have sex. Others said he tried to barter parts in movies for sex, or threatened to ruin their careers if they did not comply.

It was expected that Weinstein would plead not guilty as he has always denied these allegations.

It was the first time Weinstein appeared in court since his May 25 arrest on charges that he sexually assaulted two women in New York.

His lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said two sexual encounters described in the indictment handed up last week were consensual.

Despite investigations in London, Los Angeles and New York, none of the matters ever lead to a criminal prosecution, until two weeks ago, when the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr, became the first prosecutor to say he had enough evidence to arrest Weinstein.