Los Angeles: Former film producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein's limousine driver has testified about working for the producer. The testimony makes him the first witness for the producer's upcoming Los Angeles trial, reports 'Variety'.
As per 'Variety', Alfred "Freddy" Baroth was called for an early testimony because L.A. prosecutors were worried that his health could prevent him from appearing at the trial, which still has several months before it is put into action. The driver's testimony referred largely to trip records and invoices that established Weinstein's presence in the city on various dates in 2010 and 2013.
Harvey is facing 11 counts of rape and sexual assault in incidents involving five women between 2004 and 2013. Baroth, whose testimony was videotaped, argued that he had picked up Weinstein at Clay Lacy Aviation - a charter jet service based in Van Nuys - at 5:30 p.m. on February 17, 2013.
He then said that he later drove Weinstein to the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, where Weinstein often stayed during his trips to Los Angeles. An Italian actress and model told the L.A. Times in 2017 that she spoke to Weinstein at the festival, and that he showed up after midnight at the Mr. C Hotel, near Beverly Hills, and forcibly raped her, a claim that Weinstein's attorneys have denied stating that he wasn't at that hotel.
As per Baroth's invoice records, he worked 8.5 hours on that date, including 30 minutes before and after for Baroth's commute, suggesting that he must have dropped Weinstein off at the Peninsula around 12:30 a.m.
According to the records, Harvey left town on February 20, 2013. He is also charged with a sexual battery of another woman that allegedly occurred a day prior on February 19, 2013.
The driver was also asked to list two other visits of Weinstein, from November 4-8, 2010, and May 6-11, 2010. Weinstein faces charges of rape and forcible oral copulation from an incident that occured on November 5, 2010, and a charge of sexual battery on May 11, 2010.
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