The woman whose testimony led to Harvey Weinstein's second rape conviction in December has filed a civil lawsuit against him.
According to Variety, a US-based media house, the European model, who has been given the legal alias Jane Doe #1, claims that Weinstein forced his way into her Mr. C Hotel room in February 2013 and sexually assaulted her.
Before now, she had not joined the dozens of other women who had accused Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault. A bankruptcy court accepted a deal in 2021 that saw more than 50 accusers get a USD 17 million reimbursement from insurance money.
Variety reports that Weinstein is charged with sexual battery, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress in the case, which was filed in L.A. Superior Court. It demands payment for losses in earnings, medical and psychological expenses, as well as physical and mental pain and suffering.
One of the four women whose claims formed the crux of Weinstein's Los Angeles trial last autumn was Jane Doe #1. The jury found Weinstein guilty of three crimes, all of which were connected to Jane Doe #1, after deliberating for ten days. One count was dismissed, while the jury was split on the remaining three accusations.
Weinstein, 70, faces up to 18 years in prison on the charges, in addition to the 23-year sentence he is already serving for his conviction in New York. His lawyers had initially asked that he be sentenced on Monday, but they asked for a delay last month to give them extra time to file a motion for a new trial.
At least two jurors have stated they would not have voted to convict if they had known about specific information that was suppressed from the trial, according to Weinstein's attorneys, who have now requested a new trial, as per Variety.
( With inputs from ANI )
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