Early Friday morning around 7:30 am, Harvey Weinstein turned himself in to the NYPD’s first precinct in Lower Manhattan.
According to Buzzfeed, Weinstein was arrested on charges of rape, a criminal sex act, sex abuse, and sexual misconduct involving two women.
The Investigation
Leading up the arrest, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office had conducted an investigation concerning Lucia Evans and another woman.
According to Jezebel, Evans had accused Weinstein of forcing her to perform oral sex on him in 2004. Weinstein had promised Evans a reading with a casting executive at Miramax, his own production company. At the time Evans had been an aspiring actress.
Instead Weinstein brought her to different location where he assaulted her and made remarks on her weight.
The Arrest
Weinstein clutched three large books while he entered the police department.
During Weinstein’s post arraignment press conference, his attorney Benjamin Brafman said :
“Mr. Weinstein has always maintained that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual behavior with anyone. Nothing about today’s proceedings changes Mr. Weinstein’s position. He has entered a plea of not guilty and fully expects to be exonerated”
CNN reported that Weinstein’s bond was set at $10 million as per agreement between Brafman and the Manhattan DA’s office. According to The Wall Street Journal, Weinstein had agreed to pay the bond.
Weinstein is required to wear a GPS monitoring system and is only allowed to travel within New York State or Connecticut. Weinstein also surrendered his passport.
A temporary order of protection was granted on behalf of an unnamed victim in the case. More charges are expected to be heard as the grand jury will continue to hear testimonies. At least four women are expected to testify.
Evans’ attorney recently made a statement on the arrest.
“Harvey Weinstein’s arrest came to pass as a result of our client’s bravery in coming forward and the tenacity of law enforcement,” Goldberg said.
“The arrest and future trial of Harvey Weinstein is but one victory in the war against sexual violence,” she added.“That war is far from over. Believe victims.”
“I, and so many of Harvey Weinstein’s survivors, had given up hope that our rapist would be held accountable by law. Twenty years ago, I swore that I would right this wrong. Today we are one step closer to justice,” actress Rose McGowan, one of the first women to publicly accuse Weinstein of assault, said Thursday.
“We were young women who were assaulted by Weinstein and later terrorized by his vast network of complicity. I stand with my fellow survivors. May this give hope to all victims and survivors everywhere that are telling their truths,” she said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
