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Saturday 26 May 2018

Handcuffed Weinstein faces rape charge in #MeToo reckoning

By COLLEEN LONG ''Shakespeare in Love" and
Associated Press "The King's Speech."
NEW YORK (AP) — It was But there were rumors in
the moment the #MeToo Hollywood for years about
movement had been wait- Weinstein's pursuit of young
ing for: Harvey Weinstein in actresses. And in 2015, an
handcuffs. Italian model went to New
His face pulled in a strained York City police and ac-
smile and his hands locked cused him of groping her
behind his back, the once- during a meeting.
powerful Hollywood figure Police set up a sting in which
emerged from a police sta- the woman recorded her-
tion Friday facing rape and self confronting Weinstein.
criminal sex act charges, a But Manhattan District At-
searing reckoning for the torney Cyrus Vance Jr. de-
man who became a sym- cided not to bring charges,
bol of a worldwide outcry citing a lack of evidence.
over sexual misconduct. Vance — a Democrat who
"This defendant used his faced public pressure from
position, money and power women's groups to pros-
to lure young women into ecute Weinstein this time
situations where he was — said Friday's charges "re-
able to violate them sexu- flect significant progress in
ally," Manhattan Assistant this active, ongoing investi-
Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon gation."
said later, in words that The public allegations
brought raised eyebrows Harvey Weinstein, second from right, is brought to New York County Criminal Court, in New York, against Weinstein helped
from the otherwise stony- Friday, May 25, 2018. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) prompt a broad public fu-
faced Weinstein. ror about sexual miscon-
The charges stem from en- stant electronic monitoring The top charges against Other women who have duct. Major figures in me-
counters with two of the and a ban on traveling be- him carry the potential for publicly accused Weinstein dia and politics have lost
dozens of women — some yond New York and Con- up to 25 years in prison. of criminal sexual assaults their jobs or had their repu-
famous, some not — who necticut. He's accused of confining include actress Rose Mc- tations tarnished by allega-
have accused him of sex- As he surrendered, the a woman in a Manhattan Gowan, who said Weinstein tions that they subjected
ual misdeeds. The rape 66-year-old Weinstein hotel room and raping her raped her in 1997 in Utah; women to unwanted ad-
charge involves a woman found himself surrounded in 2013, according to a "Sopranos" actress Anna- vances or outright assaults.
who has not come forward by lights and cameras in a court complaint. bella Sciorra, who said he They include TV hosts Matt
publicly; the other is a one- spectacle he couldn't con- The criminal sex act charge raped her in her New York Lauer and Charlie Rose,
time aspiring actress who trol. stems from a 2004 encoun- apartment in 1992, and comedian Louis C.K, Dem-
was among his first accus- "You sorry, Harvey?" came ter between Weinstein and Norwegian actress Natas- ocratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken,
ers. a shout from a throng of Lucia Evans, a then-aspir- sia Malthe, who said he at- chef Mario Batali, casino
Weinstein has consistently media as the once pow- ing actress who told The tacked her in a London ho- magnate Steve Wynn and,
denied any allegations of erful movie mogul was led New Yorker magazine he tel room in 2008. most recently, Democratic
nonconsensual sex. into a lower Manhattan forced her to perform oral Until the scandal, Weinstein New York Attorney General
His lawyer, Benjamin Braf- courthouse. sex during a daytime meet- was among the most influ- Eric Schneiderman.
man, said Friday that he Asked "what can you say?" ing in his office. ential forces in American But on Friday, it was Wein-
would fight to get the Weinstein mildly shook his "We are relieved and film. Companies he co- stein in the spotlight.
charges dismissed. head and softly said "no." grateful that justice is com- founded, Miramax and the "We got you, Harvey Wein-
And he began to take aim Earlier, he lumbered into ing, but we also mourn the Weinstein Co., were behind stein," McGowan tweeted.
at the accusations and a police station carrying cases where it didn't," her such hits as "Pulp Fiction," "We got you."q
accusers, noting that the books that harkened to his lawyer, Carrie Goldberg,
alleged attacks weren't re- show-business roots: one said in a statement to The
ported to police when they on the Broadway songwrit- Associated Press.
happened and suggesting ing team of Rodgers and More than 75 women
potential jurors wouldn't Hammerstein, and another have accused Weinstein
believe the women. about famed film director of wrongdoing, and au-
"Assuming," he added, "we Elia Kazan. thorities in California and
get 12 fair people who During a half-hour in a cell, London are also investi-
are not consumed by the officials said, he sat on the gating assault allegations.
movement that seems to floor and flipped through Brafman also has said that
have overtaken this case." the Kazan biography. Lat- Weinstein was a "principal
Asked about the raft of er, in a courthouse book- target" of an investiga-
other allegations against ing area, he complained tion being conducted by
Weinstein, Brafman said he felt faint and his hand- the U.S. attorney's office in
the case was a question of cuffs were too tight. Offi- Manhattan.
crime, not bad behavior. cers used three, linked sets New York City police have
"Mr. Weinstein did not in- to put his hands behind his also been investigating al-
vent the casting couch in back — a common proce- legations by "Boardwalk
Hollywood," the attorney dure for heavyset prisoners. Empire" actress Paz de la
said. Other suspects who recog- Huerta, who told police last Harvey Weinstein arrives at the first precinct while turning him-
Weinstein was released on nized him yelled out, "Yo, fall that Weinstein raped self to authorities following allegations of sexual misconduct, Fri-
$1 million bail, with con- Harvey!" her twice in 2010. day, May 25, 2018, in New York (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)