FILM MOGUL WEINSTEIN CHARGED WITH RAPE
Weinstein charged with rape and sexual assault
HARVEY Weinstein walked out of a New York police station in handcuffs but with a smirk on his face yesterday after being charged with rape and sexual abuse.
The disgraced Hollywood mogul was arrested after turning himself in shortly before 7.30am over claims that he preyed on former actress Lucia Evans and another unnamed accuser.
Evans told investigators that Weinstein, 66, forced her to perform a sex act on him in his office in 2004.
He was charged after a 12-month probe in which more than 60 women accused him of sexual misconduct.
Police said: “Harvey Weinstein was arrested, processed and charged with rape, criminal sex act, sex abuse and sexual misconduct for incidents involving two women.
“The NYPD thanks these brave survivors for their courage to come forward.”
Weinstein smiled broadly as he left but refused to answer any questions while being placed in a black SUV to be driven to Manhattan Criminal Court for an arraignment.
Evans confirmed in an interview with The New Yorker magazine that she was one of the women who helped bring charges against the Miramax co-founder.
She said: “At a certain point, you have to think about the greater good of humanity, of womankind.”
She added that she was trying to break into the film business when she met Weinstein at a nightclub and he invited her to his office.
Evans claimed that soon after she arrived for the daytime meeting, Weinstein pulled her head down to his crotch. She told the magazine: “I said, over and over, ‘I don’t want to do this, stop’.
“I tried to get away but maybe I didn’t try hard enough. I didn’t want to kick him or fight him.”
Evans said hulking Weinstein ultimately “overpowered” her.
The rape charges are related to allegations involving a second, unidentified woman who has not spoken publicly.
Weinstein’s lawyer Ben Brafman said outside court the shamed producer would enter a not-guilty plea.
Brafman said: “We intend to move very quickly to dismiss these charges. We believe they are constitutionally flawed. We believe they are not factually supported by the evidence.”
As part of a bail package, Weinstein put up £750,000 in cash, agreed to wear a monitoring device and will surrender his passport.
The allegations against Weinstein triggered the #MeToo movement and more than 200 powerful people have been accused of sexual harassment or sexual assault, including Steven Seagal, Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, Dustin Hoffman and Kevin Spacey.
They all deny any wrongdoing.