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Did the DA in New York Bungle the Harvey Weinstein Case?

Mar 19, 2018  •  Post A Comment

The District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan is under pressure over its handling of a sexual abuse case against Harvey Weinstein. The AP reports that members of the Time’s Up initiative are calling for the governor of New York to investigate the DA’s Office over its decision not to prosecute the case in 2015.

“In a statement, the group says a report in New York magazine is disturbing because it suggests the district attorney’s office may have been improperly influenced by Weinstein and sought to intimidate an Italian model who accused the disgraced media mogul of groping her,” the AP reports.

The statement reportedly says: “An independent investigation into the full decision-making process in this case, including a full review of the correspondence within the office and with any representatives for Mr. Weinstein, must be undertaken immediately to ensure that prosecutorial integrity was maintained and to restore faith in the DA’s office.”

The AP reports that the New York article “centers on the case of Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. In 2015, police conducted a sting after she accused Weinstein of groping her, secretly recording Weinstein apologizing for this conduct.

“Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. ultimately decided there wasn’t enough proof and didn’t bring a case. Following criticism over the decision last year, prosecutors said police arranged the sting without their knowledge and there were other proof issues, but police pushed back saying they’d presented enough evidence.”

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