In the submitted evidence, Benjamin Brafman points out that the woman accepted an invitation to attend a film screening with the disgraced producer just hours after she was allegedly attacked.

• Dec 8, 2018

AceShowbiz - Harvey Weinstein's rape accuser reportedly accepted an invitation to attend a film screening with the producer just hours after she was allegedly attacked by the movie mogul.

Defence attorney Benjamin Brafman has submitted an email exchange between the woman's friend and one of Harvey's assistants, confirming that they were planning to go to the event for one of Weinstein's projects on March 18, 2013.

The friend's name has been redacted from evidence submissions obtained by TMZ, but she is said to be a pal of the unidentified alleged rape victim at the centre of the New York criminal investigation.

The assault accuser told police Weinstein had forced himself on her in his hotel room in 2013, and made her perform a sex act on him on another occasion in 2006.

However, Brafman has cast doubt on the accuser's story, as she claimed the assault took place on the morning of March 18 - even though hours later, she joined her pal at the screening, where they are purported to have met up with Weinstein.

He argues the documents are "strong evidence that she was not raped," because it makes no sense that an alleged sex assault victim would "go out of her way to spend time with her 'rapist' merely hours" after the reported incident.

The alleged victim's friend is now a key witness in the defence's case, which could help to clear Weinstein's name as she was told the pair had been "hooking up" for "a very long time".

She also maintains the supposed victim had made no mention of any bad behaviour from the Hollywood heavyweight during the relationship, and claims she was asked to back up an accusation of assault at the hands of Weinstein when the two ladies reconnected last year (2017).

Court documents reveal she "declined to make up a story" and is now lending her support to Brafman and his associates as they seek to have Weinstein's criminal counts dismissed.

He was exposed as an alleged sexual predator in October, 2017, when he was accused of sexual misconduct and assault by over 50 women. He has denied all claims of non-consensual sex.