Harvey Weinstein facing arrest in New York
Source: Charges in connection to at least one accuser coming.
Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie mogul, is expected to surrender to investigators today after a monthslong inquiry into allegations that he sexually assaulted numerous women.
Weinstein is to be charged by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, according to two law enforcement officials.
Movie stars and employees of his company have described a decadeslong history by Weinstein of sexually abusing and assaulting them and then paying or coercing them to stay silent.
He will face charges in connection to at least one accuser, Lucia Evans, who has said Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him during a business meeting in 2004, one person with knowledge of the investigation said. It remained unclear if charges would be filed in connection to other victims.
Prosecutors in Manhattan have also been investigating allegations that Weinstein raped an actress, Paz de la Huerta, in her home in New York City in 2010.
De la Huerta made her claims to the police in late October, after revelations in The New York Times and The New Yorker about Weinstein’s history of sexually assaulting women and paying or putting pressure on them not to speak out. In describing what occurred, de la Huerta said Weinstein violently forced her down and had intercourse with her against her will.
The precise charges he was expected to face were not immediately clear. Weinstein’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, declined to comment.
Weinstein’s legal risk has grown in recent months: Local prosecutors in Manhattan and Los Angeles and the police in London have been investigating sexual assault allegations against him as federal prosecutors in Manhattan broadened their inquiry into possible financial improprieties to include accusations that Weinstein violated federal stalking laws.
Freeman apologizes in wake of accusations
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman apologized on Thursday to anyone who may have felt “uncomfortable or disrespected” by his behavior, after CNN reported that multiple women have accused the A-list actor of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior on movie sets and in other professional settings.
“Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy,” the actor, now 80, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press by his publicist. “I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent.”
Freeman won the 2005 Oscar for best supporting actor for “Million Dollar Baby.” He was nominated four other times, including for “Driving Miss Daisy” and “The Shawshank Redemption,” and is renowned for his prolific voiceover work.
Earlier this year, he was honored by SAG-AFTRA with a lifetime achievement award. In a statement, the organization called the allegations “compelling and devastating” and contrary to its attempts to make sure working environments are safe in the industry.
“Any accused person has the right to due process, but it is our starting point to believe the courageous voices who come forward to report incidents of harassment,” the statement read. “Given Mr. Freeman recently received one of our union’s most prestigious honors recognizing his body of work, we are therefore reviewing what corrective actions may be warranted at this time.”
The CNN report includes the account of a production assistant on the 2017 heist film “Going In Style,” who detailed an incident in which the actor repeatedly tried to lift up her skirt, and asked if she was wearing underwear. She alleged that Freeman subjected her to unwanted touching and comments on a near-daily basis on the film.
Several women alleged that he made frequent comments about their bodies, or would stare at them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. CNN spoke to 16 people about Freeman; eight said they had experienced harassment or inappropriate behavior, and eight said they had witnessed such conduct.