De La Huerta and Weinstein
The latest sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein could result in the first criminal charges against the movie mogul, an NYPD source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
“This is the strongest case we’ve had that fits within the statute of limitations,” the source said, adding some detectives believe they have enough evidence to arrest Weinstein.
At a press conference Friday, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce described actress Paz de la Huerta’s case as credible because of her “ability to articulate each movement of the crime, where she was, where this happened.”
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office told CNN they have a sex crimes prosecutor assigned to an “active investigation” into the alleged incidents.
De la Huerta, who has appeared in ‘A Walk to Remember’ and the HBO drama ‘Boardwalk Empire’, alleges Weinstein raped her in her apartment on two separate occasions in 2010.
In an interview with CNN, de la Huerta, 33, said she called the NYPD rape hotline last week to report the alleged assaults. De la Huerta and her attorney have since been working with detectives from the NYPD’s special victims unit and the district attorney’s office, she said.
In October 2010, 12 years after first meeting Weinstein on the set of the film ‘Cider House Rules’ de la Huerta said she ran into the producer at a club in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood, where both she and Weinstein lived.
She accepted a ride home from Weinstein and when they arrived at her apartment, de la Huerta said he insisted on joining her for a drink. That’s when the first alleged assault occurred.
“He pulled my dress up and unzipped his pants and raped me,” de la Huerta said.