As promised, this morning disgraced ex-movie mogul Harvey Weinstein turned himself in to the NYPD, who formally arrested him on charges of rape, committing a criminal sex act, sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct, as CNN reports. Weinstein cracked a strained smile for the photographers gathered outside as he was led out of the precinct in handcuffs:
Weinstein is currently being arraigned at a New York City courthouse, where the court set a $10 million bond, according to Variety. He posted bail with a $1 million cashier’s check. He was ordered to surrender his passport, and agreed to be fitted with a GPS monitoring device so he cannot travel outside of New York and Connecticut.
Prosecutors have charged Weinstein with two counts of rape and one count of “criminal sexual act in the first degree;” the charges stem from two different cases that were being investigated by both the NYPD and federal prosecutors. The “criminal sexual act” charge in particular is reportedly connected to the case of former actress Lucia Evans, who says Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex in him in his office in 2004.
Weinstein’s lawyer says he plans to plead not guilty, made multiple references to “bad behavior” and “the casting couch,” and implied that Weinstein’s accusers are lying by saying they would not hold up under cross-examination. He also scornfully referred to the #MeToo movement, questioning whether “we [can] get 12 fair people who are not consumed by the movement that seems to have overtaken this case.” Same old story, same old victim-blaming song and dance.
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