Re: Harvey Weinstein is arrested on rape charges
Now this was an arrest. Harvey, arriving in a chauffeured SUV, wearing a Saville Row suit, white shirt and no necktie, J. Ballard custom shoes, turned himself in to NYPD central booking at 1 Police Plaza. Meaning, this was arranged by Harvey's attorneys. No handcuffs, leg manacles, no perp walk, just alerted paparazzi. Following Harvey was his lead attorney and an assistant carrying books and scripts to keep Harvey busy as he waits for an immediate arraignment later today. Arraignment court opens at 9:30 am, convenes at 10 am. Harvey's case will likely be the first or second hearing of the day. Then Harvey will go wherever he's calling home at the moment. He won't even sit in a holding cell, but in a waiting room for detective interviews. It pays to voluntarily turn oneself in for arrest, and it is viewed by the court as positive behavior by the defendant, setting a path for lenient rulings. Since Harvey's attorneys have already filed a preliminary Chapter 7 proceeding for bankruptcy, expect a low-end cash bond of less than $1 mil, meaning a cost outlay for someone of Harvey's prominence of about $12k.
Word on the street, NYPD detectives did not want to press charges. Believing they have a she said, he said case with no evidentiary corroboration, no rape kits, no dna samples, no witnesses other than plaintiffs, and so forth. The pressure came from the DA's Office, where this is looked at as a high profile vote grabber for Cy Vance Jr. A media headliner which will provide Vance with free publicity and liberal street creds. Criminal Attorneys familiar with the venue and the case are predicting a dismissal of all charges. As one very successful Manhattan criminal attorney put it, "poor schnook Cy is facing a spanking for his failure to build a proofed case."
General sentiment in the NYC law community is that trying to make this case stick, in an industry immortalized by the words of Louis B. Mayer as "Hey little girl, come to my office to see my etchings, my new comfortable couch and we'll discuss your future roles in my movies," as laughable. Meanwhile Paz de la Huerto, who has a civil case pending and not progressing against Harvey for two rapes, was silent in response to Harvey's "arrest" this morning. La Paz who claims Harvey raped her in her apartment twice still has not explained why she invited him back for the second go round. La Paz herself could end the Me Too movement.
And back at the ranch, Harvey's brother Bob, who spilled the beans hoping to force his older brother off his perch at the Weinstein Brothers Company, so he could emerge on top, (his reputation as a sex fiend as onerous as his brother's) has found himself out in the cold as Harvey orchestrated a fire sale of the company to outside investors. Bob is back at his own company facing a future of continuing his career producing B grade horror movies. Problem for him is, Harvey maintains a 30% interest in that company also.
Harvey will not do time, and likely, he won't get convicted in this case, and this case will put to bed any aspirations by other photo op seeking DA's.
arty
