The fate of Harvey Weinstein may soon be up to a jury of her peers.
NBC New York reports that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is looking to present a case next week to the the grand jury in hopes of indicting Harvey Weinstein on a number of charges stemming from his alleged rapes of actress Paz de la Huerta in 2010.
Weinstein is accused of sexually assaulting the actress on two occasions, but has denied any and all allegations of non-consensual sex through his spokesperson.
The actress reported the incidents to authorities on October 25, and was found to be a strong and credible witness.
Weinstein is still believed to be in Arizona, where he was pictured last week.
‘I really can’t comment but we’ll move as fast as we can to resolve the outstanding issues,’ said Cy Cance, almost three years after he decided not to prosecute Weinstein despite having audio of him admitting to an assault.
Tried for trial: A source tells NBC New York that the Manhattan District Attorney will present a case to the grand jury in hopes of indicting Harvey Weinstein (above in September)
This latest development comes just four days after the NYPD said that they were close to arresting Weinstein.
‘We have a credible and detailed narrative, and even though the incident occurred seven years ago there has been corroboration from a number of individuals,’ said Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce on Friday.
He went on to say that investigators contacted the district attorney’s office soon after they interviewed de la Huerta and ‘started working the case together.’
‘We have an actual case here, so we’re happy with where the investigation is right now,’ said Chief Boyce.
‘Mr Weinstein is out of state we would need an arrest warrant, to arrest him. So right now we’re gathering our evidence and we continue to do so, every day. So that’s where we are in the case.’
Chief Boyce revealed during the conference that subpoenas have been issued, before adding: ‘If this person was still in New York and it was recent we would go right away and make the arrest, no doubt. But we’re talking about a seven-year-old case. And we have to move forward gathering evidence.
Chief Boyce also made it very clear that de la Huerta was a strong witness, noting her ‘ability to articulate each and every movement of the crime, where she was, where they met, where this happened and what he did.
The case was further bolstered because De la Huerta was the first victim who was allegedly assaulted by Weinstein after 2006, when New York did away with the statute of limitations in instances of rape, criminal sexual act or aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree .
The assaults alleged by the other two women took place before that law was changed, which means that even if the district attorney’s office files charges against Weinstein in those cases they could be tossed out of court by a judge.
Chief Boyce seemed to suggest on Friday that those probes have been put on hold while the focus turns to de la Huerta’s allegations.
At the same time, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office has assigned a senior sex crimes prosecutor to work on the case.
‘As to others, I’m not going to close the door and say others wont come forward, but this is what we have right now, this is what we’re moving forward with,’ said Chief Boyce.