Harvey Weinstein Undergoing Surgery

Upon his arrival at court on Dec. 6 in New York City, Harvey Weinstein made headlines because he appeared to have difficulty walking into and out of the building. The former producer was seen with a cane and, at one point, was assisted by a couple of handlers as he exited the building. Now, about a week later, Weinstein’s attorney, Donna Rotunno, is setting the record straight about his medical issues, per TMZ.

According to Rotunno, Weinstein has been experiencing back issues as a result of a serious car accident he was involved in back in August, which also reportedly resulted in a concussion. She also revealed that the former head of Miramax is scheduled to undergo surgery this week to help fix the problem.

Rotunno went on to say that she was disappointed to see that some were saying that Weinstein was trying to garner sympathy during his recent court appearance. “I was dismayed to see all the press coverage incorrectly stating that Mr. Weinstein was trying to garner sympathy at his court appearance,” she said.

“Prior to entering the court, he wanted to leave the walker in the car, so it did not appear that he was looking for sympathy as he is not,” she continued. “The press surrounding his physical condition is mean spirited and false.”

In case you missed it, this update comes after Weinstein previously appeared in court on Dec. 6 for a bail hearing. While some questioned his health issues at the time, given his difficulty in entering and exiting the courtroom, Rotunno simply explained that he’s been experiencing a back problem that has been getting worse.

His hearing actually begins in January, where he is set to go on trial after pleading not guilty to five sex crimes, charges of rape and sexual assault from two separate incidents in 2006 and 2013. Weinstein originally entered his not guilty plea during a hearing in August, per NBC News.

According to Variety, Weinstein is being accused of having performed a forcible sexual act on a woman in 2006. It was also alleged that he raped a separate woman in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013. Jurors are expected to hear from some of Weinstein’s other alleged victims during the trial, including Sopranos actor Annabella Sciorra, who has accused the disgraced producer of having raped her 26 years ago. The trial reportedly could last up to two months.

Weinstein has long maintained his innocence in the face of these allegations.