Harvey Weinstein Is Charged With Sexual Assault In Los Angeles, As N.Y. Trial Begins
Harvey Weinstein was charged with four felony counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles County on Monday, the same day jury selection began in the Hollywood mogul's New York trial.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Weinstein with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another. Weinstein is accused of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force, and sexual battery by use of restraint.
The charges stem from two alleged incidents in February 2013.
"We believe the evidence will show that the defendant used his power and influence to gain access to his victims and then commit violent crimes against them," District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement Monday.
In one incident, Weinstein allegedly went to a hotel and raped a woman after pushing his way into her room. The second alleged assault took place the next evening in a hotel in Beverly Hills. Neither woman was publicly identified by prosecutors.
LA County prosecutors are asking for bail to be set at $5 million, according to the statement. If convicted, Weinstein could face up to 28 years in prison.
The disgraced movie producer so far has not publicly commented on the latest charges against him. [Copyright 2020 NPR]
