Lawyers in a Toronto courtroom are arguing about whether an assistant to disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein had a duty to warn women of his alleged propensity to commit sexual assault.
A woman known only as “Jane Doe” is suing Weinstein, his companies, and his former assistant Barbara Schneeweiss, alleging Weinstein sexually assaulted her in 2000 and that Schneeweiss was complicit in the assaults.
She says Schneeweiss knew Weinstein was a “sexual predator,” but coerced her into going to meetings with Weinstein in a downtown hotel room.
Schneeweiss’ lawyers spent the morning Monday challenging the lawsuit which they called “frivolous,” and “irrelevant,” contending that many of the allegations did not include enough detail.
They argued for some parts of the suit to be tossed and other parts to be better explained.
Doe’s lawyers responded that Schneeweiss is simply trying to delay taking the matter to court.
The lawsuit against Weinstein himself cannot move forward until the matter regarding Schneeweiss’ level of responsibility is resolved.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Heather Wright
