..
Armie Hammer under investigation by LAPD for sexual assault
Hammer is the main suspect in an incident reported on Feb. 3., say police
Andrew Dalton · The Associated Press
Posted: Mar 19, 2021 11:28 AM ET
Actor Armie Hammer is under investigation for sexual assault, Los Angeles police said Thursday.
Hammer's lawyer denied the allegation.
Hammer is the main suspect in a sexual assault that was reported to police on Feb. 3, LAPD spokesperson Officer Drake Madison said. Police would give no further details on the incident or who made the report.
Earlier Thursday at a video news conference, a woman said that on April 24, 2017, in Los Angeles, Hammer raped her for four hours, slammed her head against a wall and committed other violent acts against her.
The Associated Press does not generally identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
Evidence given to LAPD
The woman appeared on camera but identified herself only by her first name, Effie.
"During those four hours I tried to get away but he wouldn't let me," she said through tears. "I thought that he was going to kill me. He then left with no concern for my well-being."
The woman's lawyer, Gloria Allred, said they had given evidence to Los Angeles police, including photos of Effie's injuries. Allred declined to say when they made the report, and would not confirm that it was the one made in February that the LAPD is investigating.
Effie was 20 when she and Hammer met on Facebook and began a relationship in 2016, and they had their last contact last year, Allred said.
Hammer's lawyer said in a statement that from the beginning he has maintained that all of his interactions with Effie and every other sexual partner "have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory."
The statement called her allegations "attention seeking and ill-advised" and said "her own correspondence with Mr. Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations."
"With the truth on his side, Mr. Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight," Andrew Brettler said.
The statement included a screenshot that Brettler said was a text message exchange in July of last year between Hammer and Effie, in which she sent graphic messages and he responded by saying he no longer wanted a relationship with her.
The 34-year-old actor was married at the time to television personality Elizabeth Chambers. They divorced last year.
Elizabeth Chambers and Armie Hammer attend an event on Jan. 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The two married in 2010 and divorced last year. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
Hammer first gained fame through playing twins in 2010's The Social Network, and is best known for his starring roles in 2017's Call Me By Your Name and 2013's The Lone Ranger.
Most recently, Hammer starred in the Netflix remake of Rebecca. A sequel to Call Me by Your Name with Timothée Chalamet has also been in development.
Past allegations
Allegations of sexual violence in recent months have derailed Hammer's career.
Earlier this year, an Instagram account began posting screenshots of text messages allegedly from Hammer as far back as 2016. Allred would not comment on whether her client was behind that account, @houseofeffie. When those text messages began appearing in media reports, Hammer called them "vicious and spurious online attacks against me."
After those texts were published, Hammer departed the comedy Shotgun Wedding, in which he was to star alongside Jennifer Lopez, shortly before production was to begin. He soon after departed the Paramount+ series The Offer, about the making of The Godfather.
Hammer was also dropped by his agency, WME.
Blood-stained bedsheets: Graphic evidence helps convict Aussie rugby league star Jarryd Hayne of sexual assault
22 Mar, 2021 11:28
Note: graphic details in this article
A short and graphic video has proved to be a vital piece of evidence in Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne’s conviction for sexual assault.
The 33-year-old had already faced court once, but last year’s trial has ended in a hung jury. This time, however, a second jury of seven men and five women found the NRL star guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent.
Reportedly, the deciding factor behind the guilty verdict was a short video sent by the victim to her friend, which depicted bloody bedsheets shortly after the assault.
Hayne, once an icon of rugby league in Australia – indeed a two-time winner of the NRL's player of the year award – is now facing up to 14 years in jail.
The ex-Parramatta Eels fullback had pleaded not guilty, but the evidence given by the victim was enough to convince the jury that she had not consented to the ex-NFL rookie performing oral and digital sex on her.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed to have backed away when Hayne attempted to preform sexual acts upon her on NRL grand final night in September 2018.
She was left with two lacerations on her vagina which bled profusely. The video evidence backed her claims up.
The victim later sent him a string of text messages saying “I am hurting so much” and “I know I’ve talked about sex and stuff so much but I didn’t want to do that after knowing the taxi was waiting for you.”
Hayne had organized a taxi driver to take him back to Sydney immediately after his time with the victim as he was required to attend an event at Alexandria at midnight.
When the taxi beeped outside her bedroom window, the victim decided there was “no way” she was going to consent to sex. In her testimony she explained, “my heart dropped because I felt like he had only come there for one thing.”
Alongside the video and text evidence, Hayne was also recorded on police phone taps which were played to the court. The tapes, which have now been released by the court, depict Hayne speaking to his former NSW teammate Mitchell Pearce, describing the victim as a “full blown weirdo” and saying she “was filthy.”
Hayne emerged from Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court with his wife, Amellia Bonnici, and stated that he would “definitely appeal” the guilty verdict.
For now, Hayne’s barrister Richard Pontello SC has managed to see the 33-year-old granted bail on the condition he hand over a AU$50,000 (US$39,000) surety.
The rugby league World Cup winner will now face a sentencing hearing on May 6 in the Newcastle District Court and faces a maximum possible sentence of 14 years in jail.
‘Touching her with his penis’: NFL star Deshaun Watson faces MORE assault claims from massage therapists
22 Mar, 2021 17:17
NFL star Deshaun Watson. © USA Today Sports
Three more women have come forward to allege sexual assault and inappropriate behavior from Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, according to reports.
The news comes less than a week after reports that the NFL star was attempting to distance himself from any allegations of sexual assault.
The total number of lawsuits filed against the 25-year-old has now risen to 10, according to The Guardian.
Watson initially claimed that the allegations are the result of a "publicity-seeking" plaintiff. He categorically denied all accusations online, posting: “I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect.
“The plaintiff's lawyer claims that this isn’t about money, but before filing suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected.”
The quarterback was alleged to have assaulted one massage therapist earlier this month by “touching her with his penis and exposing himself.”
Similar stories are reported in statements made by the other plaintiffs. One masseuse claims he grabbed her “buttocks and vagina, touching her with his penis and trying to force her to perform oral sex on him.” While another accuses Watson of “touching her with his penis and making sexually suggestive comments”.
All 10 plaintiffs are believed to be massage therapists who are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as court costs. According to high-profile Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, who will represent each woman, the figure being sued for is only $500 – the smallest amount of damages that can be sought in a Texas civil district court.
Buzbee explained: “They bring these cases for one reason only stopping further misconduct from this defendant or any others like him."
A statement from Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, called the allegations “meritless.” He has also stated that he is: “extremely proud to represent Deshaun Watson and wholly stand behind him.
Hardin’s statement explained that they will respond in greater detail next week: “We will wait to comment in detail until we’ve completed our review of the numerous, evolving allegations from Mr Buzbee. We will respond next week and ask you to keep an open mind until we do so.”
Watson signed a four-year, $156 million contract extension with the Texans only last offseason, but was already pressing for a move away – and indeed requested a trade in January – due to the poor direction he felt the team was heading.
Which, obviously, was everyone's fault but his even though he is the quarterback. Sounds a bit narcissistic.
The NFL are said to be aware of the allegations and are now investigating the matter under their own personal conduct policy.
No comments:
Post a Comment