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The lawyer representing an Italian actress/model who told Los Angeles police Harvey Weinstein attacked her in 2013 said he was compelled to hold a press conference Friday to handle the deluge of media questions since the Los Angeles Times "got wind of this investigation" and "confronted" him, and he gave them "some information."
"I got 200+ inquiries from the media," and a presser was the quickest way to dispatch them, Dave Ring said at a presser in downtown Los Angeles, live streamed by TMZ which reported the stunt baffled its LAPD sources because it would hurt their investigation.
It would seem the LAPD impressed that upon Ring too, given the scarcity of information he coughed up.
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"This victim described to the LAPD an extremely serious sexual assault and a rape," he said at the presser, of his client, who was 34 years old at the time.
"While I am not able to get into details, I can tell you that she explained to them graphic detail that caused LAPD to open up a criminal investigation of sexual assault and rape. I know the LAPD is investigating that. I don't know any more than that."
Ring said he "presumed" the LAPD was coordinating with authorities in London and in New York, who also are investigating women's assault or rape claims against Weinstein in those cities.
His client's claim is well "'within statute if they determine a crime occurred," Ring assured.
"My role in this is really one thing only and that is to make sure this lady is treated properly," he explained. "She has no other purpose other than she wanted to come forward and tell her story about what happened." He said she has been helped by the fact nearly 40 other women have come forward, saying they too had been harassed, assaulted, or raped by the movie exec over decades. "But there were other factors as well," he teased, without elaborating.
His client had "no aspirations of being an actress in the United States" and was in Los Angeles for the L.A. Italia film fest in February of 2013. She met Weinstein very briefly.
"That evening, he appeared at her hotel, just outside the city limits of Beverly Hills and he basically bullied his way up into his room," Ring said. "You know exactly what I'm talking about" he told reporters, referencing the tape recording The New Yorker obtained of Harvey Weinstein trying to coax/bully a young actress into his hotel room, during which he admitted to groping her previously. The tape was obtained during an NYPD sting operation.
"Her greatest regret was opening that door," Ring said of his client. "What happened to her was really horrible, had a humongous, huge impact on her life." He declined to elaborate.
The Los Angeles Times already reported the woman claimed Weinstein forced his way into her room at Mr. C hotel, saying, "I'm not going to f*** you. I just want to talk," repeatedly asked to see her naked, then grabbed her by the hair, yanked her into the bathroom and raped her.
While relieved to come forward now, his client is "scared and rightfully so; she is a mom and has young children," Ring said. He would not say how many children she has, when asked, nor would he say where she lives.
"Law gives her the right to remain confidential…She chose to do so because of the pending criminal investigation."
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