The disgraced producer's lawyers plan to use emails that reportedly show one of the alleged victims was actually a romantic partner.
- Aug 3, 2018
AceShowbiz - Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is planning to use emails from one of his alleged rape victims as evidence in a motion to dismiss criminal charges against him.
The producer was taken into custody by New York authorities in May and indicted on two counts of rape and one for criminal sexual acts, relating to alleged incidents involving two women in 2004 and 2013. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, which carry up to 25 years behind bars, and was released on bail.
Last month, the Oscar winner, 66, was slapped with an additional count of criminal sexual act in the first degree and two counts of predatory sexual assault. He returned to court and pleaded not guilty.
On Friday, August 03, Weinstein's lawyers are planning to file a motion to dismiss some of the charges, and they hope to present emails that reportedly show one of the alleged victims was actually a romantic partner. They also allege prosecutors knew of the existence of the emails, but didn't show them to the grand jury.
The motion was reportedly teased on Wednesday in new filings in the bankruptcy case in Delaware.
"The emails are to be attached as exhibits to pre-trial motions - which must be filed in the Supreme Court of New York County no later than August 3, 2018 - seeking a dismissal of the indictment for, among other reasons, the failure of the prosecutor to advise the grand jury of the substance of exculpatory communications made by the one of three complaining witnesses underlying the counts of the indictment and contained in the e-mails sought for use here," the filing reads.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the emails are under a protective order, which Weinstein's lawyers are seeking to revise, so they can be used in the criminal trial.
Weinstein has been accused of bullying, harassment, misconduct, and/or rape by over 90 women, including actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Asia Argento, Rose McGowan, and Salma Hayek. His downfall began with the publication of exposes detailing his bad behaviour in October.
He has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex, but he is also under investigation in Los Angeles and London.
