Manhattan DA Cy Vance said Wednesday that his office is still working on the Harvey Weinstein sex-assault probe, though the prosecutor gave no hint if an indictment was imminent.
“I’ve spoken with the police and I can tell you we are working very hard with them to complete the investigation,” Vance said. “We’ll take the time it will take to get it done right.”
At least two women have accused the disgraced movie executive of forcing himself on them in 2004 and 2010.
When asked about the case against Weinstein last week, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce pointed the finger at the Manhattan district attorney to explain why the accused rapist still hasn’t been arrested.
“We are still accumulating evidence. It’s going very, very well. We have people who are getting ready to go to grand jury,” said Boyce. “Ask [DA Cy Vance].”
Cops have been building a case against the disgraced movie exec for allegedly raping actress Paz de la Huerta twice in 2010 — and said in November that they had enough to arrest him, but needed Vance to obtain an arrest warrant because Weinstein is hiding out in Arizona.
Vance, however, wanted to first present the case to a grand jury and wait for an indictment, police sources said at the time. In December, de la Huerta’s lawyer claimed that the entire case had stalled, although Vance insisted it hadn’t.
Weinstein’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman has insisted his client “has always maintained that he never sexually assaulted anyone and although an investigation may be continuing, I have been assured that the filing of criminal charges against Mr. Weinstein has not been authorized and his arrest is not imminent.”
Vance was speaking Wednesday at a press conference he had called to push the US Senate to enact tougher laws on internet-operated sex trafficking.