The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:21 PM

NYPD: Fresh Rape Charges Against Harvey Weinstein "Credible" But Statute Of Limitations Limit Ability To Arrest Him

The New York Police Department said Friday that a 2010 rape accusation against Harvey Weinstein is “credible” and the Hollywood mogul would have faced immediate arrest if he were currently in the state and the incident was more recent.

The NYPD said they corroborated portions of actress Paz de la Huerta’s account, in which she alleges Weinstein raped her twice in her apartment, and are seeking more evidence in their investigation to obtain an arrest warrant.

Because the incident reportedly occurred after 2006, the NYPD can legally investigate and prosecute Weinstein if they find enough evidence.

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said police found the "Boardwalk Empire" actress' story believable and that if Weinstein were currently in New York and the assault allegation had just happened, “we'd go right away and make the arrest. No doubt."

But he said that since Weinstein is in another state and the allegations are years old, investigators have to gather evidence first.

Weinstein, through his legal representative, has denied all accusations of non-consensual sex.

De la Huerta told Vanity Fair of her experiences with Weinstein, which she said happened when she was 26-years-old. She said the producer drove her home one night and insisted on going inside with her.

“Immediately when we got inside the house, he started to kiss me and I kind of brushed [him] away,” de la Huerta told the outlet. “Then he pushed me onto the bed and his pants were down and he lifted up my skirt. I felt afraid... It wasn’t consensual... It happened very quickly... He stuck himself inside me... When he was done he said he’d be calling me. I kind of just laid on the bed in shock.”

De la Huerta said the next time she saw Weinstein was in December 2010, when he allegedly showed up in the lobby of her apartment building. The actress said she was returning from a photoshoot and had been drinking and tried to get him to go away.

“He hushed me and said, ‘Let’s talk about this in your apartment,’” de la Huerta said. “I was in no state. I was so terrified of him. . . . I did say no, and when he was on top of me I said, ‘I don’t want to do this.’ He kept humping me and it was disgusting. He’s like a pig. . . . He raped me.”

After it was over, she recalled thinking that Weinstein knew he’d done something bad. He reportedly offered to put her in a play before he left. But she said she never heard from him again.

As previously reported, the NYPD, LAPD and police in London have all opened investigations into the allegations against Weinstein following multiple exposes into his alleged misconduct as a litany of women have come forward with claims of harassment and assault.

So far, no charges have been filed against him.