After a two-week investigation, The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has opted not to pursue charges against producer Harvey Weinstein for the alleged sexual assault of a 22-year-old aspiring actress and model.
Italian beauty Ambra Battilana claimed the 63-year-old film figure and married father of five asked her for a kiss, before touching her breasts and crotch during a business meeting-turned “casting couch come on” at his Tribeca office around 6 p.m. Mar. 27.
The New York Daily News reports a spokeswoman for District Attorney Cyrus Vance said Friday the office has passed on seeking charges, and a source close to the office told the paper Battilana’s case could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
“This case was taken seriously from the outset, with a thorough investigation conducted by our Sex Crimes Unit,” Joan Vollero, spokeswoman for the DA told the Daily News. “After analyzing the available evidence, including multiple interviews with both parties, a criminal charge is not supported.”
Weinstein has maintained his innocence, speaking to the media only through his spokespeople, and reportedly promised full cooperation with investigators.
“We are pleased this episode is behind us,” Weinstein’s spokeswoman Risa Heller said, with no further comments.
The legendary producer was the subject of an NYPD telephone sting operation within hours of the alleged incident, and did not deny the accusation, the Daily News reported a week ago.
A conversation recorded by the NYPD, between Weinstein and Battilana, reportedly demonstrated he did not deny the sexual proposal.
A source told the paper during the monitored phone call the young woman said something to indicate “she was uncomfortable with him doing that.” The person then said as police listened in Weinstein reacted with “something to the effect, ‘It won’t happen again.’”
“If he denies it, if he says he didn’t touch her breasts and privates, he’s toast,” the source asserted at the time. “He didn’t deny doing what she said he did to her… The content of the phone call, there’s no question about what he did.”
Representatives for the Weinstein Company head continually dismissed Battilana as an opportunist, and attacked her credibility. The allegations were also deemed “blackmail attempt.”