Weinstein woes worsen
AUTHORITIES in Los Angeles and New York said yesterday they had opened new probes into Harvey Weinstein, the latest in a series into conduct by the film mogul.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office said a prosecutor had been assigned to look at allegations by Boardwalk Empire actor Paz de la Huerta, who told CBS News Weinstein raped her twice in 2010. New York police are involved.
De la Huerta spoke to CBS News by phone and said the first rape occurred in October 2010 after Weinstein gave her a ride home from a party, insisted on having a drink in her apartment and forced himself on her. She said the second rape occurred in December 2010 after Weinstein came to her apartment; she had been drinking and was not in a condition to give consent, CBS reported the actor said.
LA police are investigating allegations about Weinstein that occurred in 2015. The department is investigating a re- port by an Italian actor and model who said she was raped by Weinstein in 2013.
Weinstein representative Sallie Hofmeister reiterated a statement that Weinstein, 65, denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex. Authorities in Beverly Hills and London are also investigating Weinstein for possible criminal cases.
The investigations came four weeks after The New York Times published an expose of allegations against Weinstein, leading to his sacking from the company he co-founded and expulsion from the producers guild and the organisation that bestows Academy Awards. Claims against Weinstein prompted allegations of sexual harassment against men in Hollywood.
Director Brett Ratner is suing a TV personality who called him a “rapist” on Facebook, as a seventh woman claimed he sexually harassed her. Ratner filed the defamation lawsuit against Melanie Kohler who claims he raped her about 12 years ago.
Yesterday a second woman has claimed actor Dustin Hoffman sexually harassed her, a day after he apologised for harassing a teen intern.
CNN reported yesterday that eight House of Cards workers claim Kevin Spacey made the production a “toxic” workplace and one alleges sexual assault.