The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday six new charges — three counts of forcible rape and three counts of forcible oral copulation — against Weinstein. He’s now facing a total of 11 counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles County involving five women.
“Harvey Weinstein has always maintained that every one of his physical encounters throughout his entire life have been consensual. That hasn’t changed,” Engelmayer said.
The amended criminal complaint filed by prosecutors accuses Weinstein of raping a woman at a Beverly Hills hotel between September 2004 and September 2005, and raping another woman two separate times between November 2009 and 2010 at a Beverly Hills hotel.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said the latest accusations helped prosecutors built a “compelling criminal case” against Weinstein.
“I am thankful to the first women who reported these crimes and whose courage have given strength to others to come forward,” Lacey said in a statement.
In total, Weinstein faces four counts of forcible rape, four counts of forcible oral copulation, two counts of sexual battery by restraint, and one count of sexual penetration by use of force. The alleged assaults took place between 2004 and 2013.
If convicted of the charges in California, Weinstein could face up to 140 years to life in state prison.
The Weinstein case helped fueled the global #MeToo movement and encouraged women to speak out against sexual abuse.