Harvey Weinstein Hobbled Into Court In NYC As New Charges Were Filed Against Him In LA
Poor Harvey Weinsten just can’t catch a break! First, he wasn’t even invited to the Golden Globes last night. And now, on the first day of his trial for rape in New York, he was hit with brand new rape and sexual assault charges in Los Angeles. To make matters worse, he got gum stuck on the bottom of one of the tennis balls on his walker. Could Harvey’s day get any worse!?! According to the Associated Press, possibly!
AP reports:
Harvey Weinstein has been indicted on new sex crime charges in Los Angeles, just as his trial on separate rape and sexual assault charges in New York was poised to get underway, prosecutors announced Monday.
The Hollywood mogul has been charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents over a two-day period in 2013, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a news release
Weinstein faces up to 28 years in state prison if he is convicted of the charges filed in L.A.: forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint. His arraignment has not yet been scheduled and prosecutors will recommend $5 million bail. Weinstein is expected to appear in court in California after his trial in New York is finished, Lacey said.
Here’s a brief statement from the Beverly Hills PD regarding the latest charges. And here I was thinking the only policing they did was sticking bananas in tail pipes!
The BHPD says women have accused Harvey Weinstein of crimes since 2017: "I want to personally thank those women for telling their stories" https://t.co/pSjwBjJbgE pic.twitter.com/5rGDtoYjMu
— Variety (@Variety) January 6, 2020
Meanwhile in New York, protesters, including Rose McGowan and Rosanna Arquette, gathered outside the courtroom and shouted rude things as Harvey hobbled his way into court. According to the LA Times:
In New York, Weinstein is charged with first-degree rape, two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of first-degree sexual assault and one count of third-degree rape. Mimi Haleyi, a former production assistant for Weinstein’s company, has accused the mogul of assaulting her in 2006. A second unidentified woman also told police Weinstein attacked her in New York in 2013.
In New York, the judge also ruled against the defense on a witness they wanted to call (via New York Times).
Inside the courtroom — Part 99 — Justice James M. Burke dealt a blow to Mr. Weinstein’s defense, ruling that it cannot call as a witness the disgraced detective who withheld evidence from prosecutors that was favorable to the defense.
Mr. Weinstein’s lawyers had hoped to call the detective, Nicholas DiGaudio, as part of an effort to cast doubt on the New York Police Department investigation of Mr. Weinstein.
Mr. Weinstein dropped his head into his hands after the judge’s ruling.
Poor Harvey! It will be interesting to see if the walker helps or hurts his case. On the one hand, it’s an inspired theatrical flourish, and as we know, judges love that shit! Just ask Johnnie Cochran (‘s ghost)!
Only reason I miss the cane is we had him hold a baby with his free arm at our invited dress and it KILLED.
— Cole Escola (@ColeEscola) January 6, 2020
On the other hand, he probably really did rape and terrorize scores of women throughout his career, and would probably still be doing so if he hadn’t been outed. So that’s a point against him. Deadline reminds us that Harvey’s fun nights out at comedy clubs may very well be behind him.
Life behind bars as a real possibility for the much-accused producer if he is found guilty of multiple counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree and one count each of first-degree rape and third-degree rape. Today’s hearing looks likely to set the tone for a trial that is expected to take two months – and that’s after around two weeks of jury selection set to start the “laborious,” to quote Justice Burke, pre-screening tomorrow is concluded.
Whatever you do, if you’re in New York City over the next couple of weeks, be very, very careful not to spit your gum out onto the sidewalk. One more sticky situation for Harvey and he may be done for!
Pic: Wenn.com