A video of Harvey Weinstein aired on television Wednesday showing him boldly propositioning a woman who later accused him of rape and repeatedly touching her and stroking her arm and back during what was supposed to have been a business meeting.
Released through an exclusive story by Sky News, the footage shows Weinstein touching and making sexually suggestive comments to Melissa Thompson, who was at Weinstein’s offices in New York for a business meeting in 2011. Thompson alleges that a few hours later Weinstein took her to the nearby Tribeca Grand hotel where, she claims, he raped her after cornering her.
The video, which was recorded on Thompson’s laptop, shows Weinstein entering the room and saying, “Hello Melissa Thompson,” before avoiding her handshake and going in for a hug instead, running his hands down the entire length of her back. While doing so he runs his hands across her back and says “that’s nice, let’s keep it up”.
Thompson is one of three plaintiffs named in a class action lawsuit filed in June against Weinstein, Miramax, The Weinstein Company and a host of other defendants. The recording and alleged rape are reportedly being used as part of a civil suit against Weinstein.
