Disney Claims “No Responsibility” in Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Case

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In defending itself when it comes to the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault case, Disney has claimed “no responsibility” in an argument to dismiss plaintiff Julia Ormond’s claims.

The Harvey Weinstein sexual assault case swept Hollywood and uprooted one of the worst offenders we’ve heard of in the last few decades. The former film producer was convicted of multiple counts of rape and sexual assault by courts in New York City and Los Angeles.

Recently, British actress Julia Ormond filed a claim in her case against Weinstein involving Disney and management company CAA, which the latter two are refuting.

Ms. Ormond filed a suit in October, which accused Disney “of failing to warn her of Weinstein’s history of sexual assault” because he was “too important, too powerful, and made them too much money.” At the time of Ms. Ormond’s alleged assault by former film producer Harvey Weinstein, Disney owned the Weinstein brothers-founded company Miramax.

Both companies—CAA and the Walt Disney Company—moved to dismiss Julia Ormond’s lawsuit, as reported by Variety, arguing that they were unaware of Weinstein’s sexual misconduct at the time.

CAA and Disney are fighting back against Julia Ormond‘s claim that they acted as enablers for Harvey Weinstein and failed to protect her from being sexually assaulted. https://t.co/JOwrJZ2wD1

— Variety (@Variety) December 19, 2023

In particular, when it comes to the Walt Disney Company’s involvement, Ms. Ormond alleged that Mr. Weinstein’s brother and other Miramax employees knew of Weinstein’s misconduct early on. Since Disney owned Weinstein’s Miramax at the time, Ms. Ormond holds Disney responsible.

However, Disney argued that Miramax was a “separate corporate entity” at the time and that Disney “did not have a responsibility to supervise Weinstein’s off-hours behavior.”

“If courts imposed a new duty on employers to supervise everything employees do in their private lives that has any connection to their careers, there could be no limit to liability for employers and no end to surveillance of employees,” Disney’s lawyers argued.

A woman, who testified at Harvey Weinstein’s criminal trial in New York, has filed a new sexual assault lawsuit in Los Angeles against the disgraced former movie mogul

More: https://t.co/smVgXlhlm0https://t.co/smVgXlhlm0

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) December 20, 2023

Harvey Weinstein, 71, is serving consecutive sentences of 23 years and 16 years for sexual assault against other women, and has denied Julia Ormond’s allegations.