Harvey Weinstein’s woes aren’t over yet: The new case against him
The #MeToo movement shook Hollywood to its core when executive after executive, actor after after fell from grace. Numerous women came out with allegations of sexual harassment & assault against men abusing their power. One of the biggest names erased from Hollywood due to #MeToo was the case against Harvey Weinstein.
Co-founder of The Weinstein Company and mega-producer, Weinstein had woman after woman come forward with stories about him back in 2017. Currently, Weinstein is spending his days in jail after being found guilty of sexual assault and rape in New York. However, the LA County District Attorney’s office has more charges against Weinstein.
Eleven charges in LA
On Friday, October 1st, the DA’s office announced six charges of forcible sexual assault against Weinstein after new victims came forward. Weinstein was previously charged in LA on five counts relating to sexual assault. Overall, Weinstein faces eleven charges relating to sexual assault allegations between 2004 and 2013.
Initially charged in LA back in January 2020, officials for the DA’s office are still working to extradite Harvey Weinstein back to LA before they can proceed with his case. If the trial against Weinstein proceeds, he would serve any sentence given in LA after his twenty-three years are finished in New York.
What incidents do the charges cover?
The six new charges thrown at Harvey Weinstein are in relation to two separate incidents in September 2004 and September 2005 at a hotel in Beverly Hills. Allegedly, Weinstein raped an actress on two separate occasions at that hotel.
For each incident, the LA District Attorney’s office charged Weinstein with three counts of forcible rape & forcible oral copulation. In total, Weinstein is now being charged with four counts of forcible rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery by restraint, and one count of sexual penetration by use of force.
The previous charges relate to incidents involving four other victims. Some of the charges relate to two incidents in a Beverly Hill hotel in November 2009 and November 2010 where Weinstein allegedly raped another actress. Another actress came forward saying she was also raped in May 2010 by Weinstein at a Beverly Hills hotel. Lastly, two women were allegedly raped by Weinstein in two separate incidents in 2013.
Can Weinstein be charged in LA?
It may seem redundant to some to have a second case against Harvey Weinstein occur when he’s already serving time in New York. What it comes down to is the jurisdiction of the alleged crimes. Since these alleged sexual assaults occurred in LA, any charges against Weinstein need to be brought against him in LA. Similarly, the charges brought against Weinstein in NY occurred in NY.
However, it is possible for Weinstein to be charged and even sentenced in two different states. Initially, the DA’s office in LA was trying to get an extradition trial for Weinstein to appear in court in LA. However, COVID-19 happened, and the process was delayed. But the DA’s office is still working to proceed with Harvey Weinstein’s case and bring him to LA for trial.
Could Weinstein be charged anywhere else?
While LA and NY were the two big locations investigating Weinstein on charges of sexual assault, they weren’t the only ones. There was an investigation opened in February 2018 in Dublin, and another investigation opened in London in 2018.
Neither investigation has preceded further at this time though. For now, the only upcoming trial we’ll see Weinstein in is the case in LA.
