Eric Weinberg, executive producer for the hit TV show "Scrubs," was denied bail on Tuesday after pleading not guilty to sexually assaulting five women whom prosecutors said he lured to photo shoots.
Weinberg was arrested earlier this month after being charged with 18 felony counts including rape, oral copulation, forcible sexual penetration, sexual battery by restraint, false imprisonment by use of violence, assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury, and attempted forcible penetration with a foreign object, according to the district attorney's office.
Weinberg entered not guilty pleas during the arraignment Tuesday and his lawyers argued for his release pending the next court appearance.
Prosecutors called Weinberg a potential danger to society. Superior Court Judge Victoria B. Wilson agreed and denied bail while ordering Weinberg held in custody until he returns to court Nov. 15.
Weinberg, 62, has been charged for alleged attacks between 2014 and 2019, but investigators said they believe there may be other victims of assaults dating back to the 1990s, District Attorney George Gascón said at an Oct. 6 news conference. He has urged those victims to come forward.
LAPD Detective Ryan Lamar said this month that investigators were looking into information received from a tip line regarding other possible assaults by Weinberg.
Weinberg was co-executive producer on nearly 100 episodes of the NBC hospital dramedy "Scrubs" between 2000 and 2006 and also wrote nearly a dozen episodes, according to the IMDB website.
He also was co-executive producer for "Californication" in 2007 and had producing and writing credits on other shows, including "Anger Management," "Men at Work," "Veronica's Closet" and "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher."
In 2020, documents filed in Weinberg's divorce and child custody proceedings included allegations by three women that he sexually assaulted them during photo shoots, the Los Angeles Times reported.
One woman alleged that she met Weinberg at a North Hollywood coffee shop in 2014 when she was 22 and he convinced her to come to a photo shoot at his home where she stripped to her underwear. The woman alleged that while taking photos, Weinberg grabbed her, forced to perform oral sex, choked her and then raped her, according to documents cited by the Times.
Jean Smart, Ariana Grande, Michael Keaton among hosts for “SNL” season 50
Fresh off her Emmys win, Jean Smart will kick off the landmark 50th season of "Saturday Night Live."
NBC on Thursday announced the lineup of hosts for the season, which premieres Sept. 28. Joining Smart on the first show will be Jelly Roll as the musical act. He was also at the Emmys, singing during the ceremony's in memoriam segment.
It will be Smart's first time hosting "SNL."
Comedian Nate Bargatze will host on Oct. 5, with Coldplay as the musical guest.
Ariana Grande will host Oct. 12, with musical guest Stevie Nicks.
"Beetlejuice" star Michael Keaton will host on Oct. 19, the last show before Halloween, and Billie Eilish will be that night's musical guest.
The host on Nov. 2 will be "SNL" alum John Mulaney, with breakout sensation Chappell Roan as the music guest.
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