New Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Case Before L.A. D.A.; Anthony Anderson & Steven Seagal Probed Also
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s nearly year-old sexual assault task force just got a whole lot busier with new cases involving Harvey Weinstein, Steven Seagal and Anthony Anderson.
“A sexual assault case was presented yesterday [August 8] by the Los Angeles Police Department involving Steven Seagal,” Jackie Lacey’s office said today. “It remains under review.” As several individuals alleged misconduct by Seagal, the LAPD revealed in January it was seriously looking into claims made against the On Deadly Ground actor from a 2005 assault.
“Additionally, LAPD presented a sex assault case yesterday involving Anthony Anderson,” the office also said of the Black-ish actor, who last month “unequivocally” disputed the claim. “It also remains under review.”
“Lastly, the Beverly Hills Police Department presented a third sex assault case involving Harvey Weinstein in June,” the Los Angeles D.A. said. “That case, along with two others presented by BHPD and three presented by LAPD, involving Mr. Weinstein remain under review.”
The L.A. D.A.’s office had no more to add on the cases, however a well placed law enforcement source told Deadline that “these cases are very different and there is a lot to unpack.”
RelatedHarvey Weinstein Says D.A Misled Grand Jury; Wants Rape Case Dismissed
As Les Moonves, Bill Cosby and others have learned over the years, a case being presented to Lacey’s team does not mean the accused will be charged. While law enforcement works closely with prosecutors once they are getting ready to hand over the results of an investigation, the D.A.’s office and its November 2017-established task force set up by Lacey to specifically look into allegations of sexual assault in the entertainment industry go over everything very carefully. Issues like statutes of limitations, corroborating witnesses and more, as was the case a few years back with Cosby, can see a case shut down if the D.A. feels it doesn’t have all it needs for trial.
Of course, sometimes they do find a way forward. In early July, after months of investigation, the Manhattan District Attorney hit Weinstein with heavier charges than he had previously been facing in New York, a more serious degree of sexual assault that could potentially put him in prison for life. The charge of committing a forcible sexual act in the first degree pertains to the allegations of a third woman, following the previous case based on the accounts of two other women.
As well as being investigated by federal prosecutors and probes by Cyrus Vance Jr’s office and the NYPD, allegations against the much accused Weinstein have been reviewed by the LAPD, which sent that trio of cases to the L.A. County D.A. on February 8. As UK police continue their investigation, the Beverly Hills Police passed two cases of sexual assault that they say occurred in their jurisdiction to Lacey’s office on January 2.
Like the L.A. D.A.’s team said today, they all remain under review.
Weinstein faces nearly a dozen lawsuits filed by some of the 80 women who have accused him of sexual assault and harassment.
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