Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced on Oct. 2 that Harvey Weinstein has been charged with six additional counts of forcible sexual assault. Learn more about the charges.
UPDATE: Harvey Weinstein is facing new charges.
On Friday Oct. 2, the Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced that the disgraced film producer has been charged with six additional counts of forcible sexual assault.
According to a press release shared by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the charges stem from incidents involving two women. Weinstein is accused of raping one woman between September 2004 and September 2005 at a hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. He also allegedly raped another woman on two separate occasions in November 2009 and in November 2010 at a Beverly Hills hotel.
The press release notes Weinstein's case has been amended to add three felony counts each of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation. It also states that this is the second time the criminal complaint against Weinstein has been amended to include more counts.
In the original complaint announced in January, Lacey shared that Weinstein had been accused of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents over a two-day period in February 2013. He was charged with one felony count each of alleged forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint. Then, in April, the complaint was amended to add a charge of sexual battery by restraint for an incident that allegedly took place at a Beverly Hills hotel in May 2010.
The release states that, with the new charges, Weinstein "now faces a total of four counts each of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery by restraint and one count of sexual penetration by use of force, involving five victims for crimes that span from 2004 to 2013." It adds that, if the 68-year-old is convicted as charged in the amended complaint, he will face up to 140 years to life in prison.
"I am thankful to the first women who reported these crimes and whose courage have given strength to others to come forward," Lacey said in a statement. "The willingness of these latest victims to testify against a powerful man gives us the additional evidence we need to build a compelling criminal case."
Weinstein, who is currently serving time in a New York prison following his conviction, has repeatedly denied all accusations of non-consensual sex.
"Harvey Weinstein has always maintained that every one of his physical encounters throughout his entire life have been consensual," his rep said in a statement obtained by E! News. "That hasn't changed. At this moment we cannot comment on the additional charges until we learn more about them."
According to the release, prosecutors are seeking temporary custody of Weinstein and an extradition hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11 in Buffalo. It also stated that "the case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police departments and the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation."
Read more about the original charges below.
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Harvey Weinstein is facing more criminal charges.
The disgraced Hollywood producer has been charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting a second woman in separate, consecutive alleged incidents from 2013, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced on Monday, per a press release. According to the release, the 67-year-old was charged with one felony count each of alleged forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery by restraint.
He is accused of allegedly raping an unidentified woman in her hotel room on Feb. 18, 2013 and allegedly sexually assaulting a different woman in a Beverly Hills hotel suite the following evening.
"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," Lacey said in a statement. "I want to commend the victims who have come forward and bravely recounted what happened to them. It is my hope that all victims of sexual violence find strength and healing as they move forward."
The case remains under investigation and Weinstein faces up to 28 years in prison if convicted as charged, the press release said.
Weinstein, who has been publicly accused of alleged misconduct by dozens of women since 2017, has continually denied all allegations of non-consensual sex. E! News has reached out to Weinstein's attorney and representative for comment on the latest charges.
The new charges come on the heels of the first day of Weinstein's New York trial, which began on Monday. In that case, he has been accused of allegedly raping one woman in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and of allegedly performing a forcible sex act on a second woman in 2006. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to related charges. Jury selection is expected to begin tomorrow.
"I spend the vast majority of my free time working with my legal and communications teams," Weinstein recently told CNN. "I read several books a week on history, politics and fiction. My main focus has been proving my innocence and clearing my name."
(This story was originally published Jan. 6, 2020 at 11:52 a.m. PST).
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