Harvey Weinstein’s attorney wants to set the record straight by letting the world know that her client is not without sin, but he’s also not “a rapist.”
Donna Rotunno, Weinstein’s new defense attorney, sat down with Gayle King for a “CBS This Morning” interview and defended her client by saying, ”I’m not here to say he was not guilty of committing sins,” however, “I don’t think he’s a rapist.”
Rotunno also confidently shared that she feels that evidence will exonerate the former movie producer of any criminal wrongdoing.
But Weinstein’s attorney didn’t stop there, she even went on to criticize the power of the #MeToo movement because of how it influences the narrative of cases. She said, “I think in many ways there are good things about #MeToo,” later, adding that the empowerment movement “allows the court of public opinion to take over the narrative” in a way that can’t be corrected or challenged, which can result in the accused being “stripped” of their rights.
In the end, Rotunno said that regardless of what happens with the case, her client is a victim because, “No matter what happens to Harvey Weinstein, he will pay the biggest price there is. Even if he wins, Gayle, his whole life has been ruined, toppled, damaged.”
The accused serial sexual abuser is currently facing charges in New York on allegations of sexual violence against two women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. Documents state that he allegedly raped an unidentified woman in his Manhattan hotel room back in 2013 and also allegedly performed a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.
In total, more than 70 women have accused Weinstein of sexual assault, including former employees and Hollywood stars .
Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty to the charges and he denies all accusations of non-consensual sex. His trial is scheduled to take place in January.
