Harvey Weinstein charged with another sex assault count
Harvey Weinstein was charged Friday with a new felony sexual assault count by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. The charge of sexual assault by restraint stems from an incident in which Weinstein allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at a Beverly Hills hotel on May 11, 2010.
The woman was originally interviewed last fall by the LA DA’s office as a corroborating witness, but last month provided information confirming the alleged attack took place within the state’s 10-year statute of limitations, which requires that a defendant be charged within 10 years of the alleged offense.
Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement that investigators are continuing to "build and strengthen our case."
"If we find new evidence of a previously unreported crime, as we did here, we will investigate and determine whether additional criminal charges should be filed," she said.
On Jan. 6, the LA DA’s office charged Weinstein with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents over a two-day period in 2013. Weinstein was charged with one felony count each of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint.
Weinstein denied those charges through his defense attorneys at the start of his criminal trial in New York earlier this year.
Juda Engelmayer, a spokesman for Weinstein, declined on Saturday to comment on the new charge. Weinstein has long denied ever engaging in non-consensual sex with anyone.
Currently serving a sentence of up to 23 years in New York, Weinstein is now facing up to 29 years behind bars in California, if convicted of all the LA charges, according to Lacey’s office.
Weinstein has yet to be formally arraigned in California, though authorities there have initiated the extradition process to gain temporary custody of the disgraced movie mogul from NY state.
The former Hollywood producer, was found guilty of criminal sexual assault and of rape in the third degree in a New York court on Feb 24. He was found not guilty of the more serious charges of predatory sexual assault and of rape in the first degree.
If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault and is seeking resources, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
