LOS ANGELES — While the New York chapter of Harvey Weinstein’s criminal prosecution is over, pending an appeal and sentencing, the legal saga will soon move to Los Angeles.
Last month, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey filed charges of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of restraint and sexual battery by restraint.
The charges were filed on the eve of Weinstein’s New York trial, so he has yet to appear in downtown LA.
At the time of the filing, Lacey explained the timing of the charges.
“We were working on investigating those cases. In regard to the victims in this case and other sexual assault cases, it was very challenging to get those victims to open up and tell us what they needed to tell us,” she said. “For some, it was very embarrassing — terrifying — and so (we) told them we were just working to get the evidence we need to get to court.”