Weinstein accuser seeks to set legal precedent with sex trafficking law
Harvey Weinstein
(Reuters) - The lawyer representing  Harvey Weinstein âs latest accuser is attempting to set legal precedent by contending  Weinstein âs actions overseas make  him  liable for civil damages under a criminal law against sex trafficking  five legal experts said.
Aspiring British actor Kadian Noble  who has filed a lawsuit against  Harvey Weinstein  in New York federal court accusing the movie producer of sex trafficking by inviting her to a hotel room in France and sexually assaulting her  cries as she speaks at a news conference in New York City  New York  U.S.  November 28  2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
The lawsuit  filed in U.S. District Court in New York  does not accuse  Weinstein  of labor trafficking or other exploitations commonly associated with the commercial sex industry. But the criminal law on which the civil claim in based bans the use of force  threat or coercion for a sex act in exchange for value.
Nobleâs lawsuit claimed  Weinstein  promised  her  a role in a Weinstein Company project and that he invited  her  to his hotel room in February 2014 in France on the premise of viewing  her  show reel  or video highlights of  her  acting.
Responding to the lawsuit  Holly Baird  a spokeswoman for  Weinstein   on Monday denied the allegation of non-consensual sex. Baird could not be reached on Tuesday for comment on the claim that  Weinstein  violated sex trafficking laws.
Aspiring British actor Kadian Noble  who has filed a lawsuit against  Harvey Weinstein  in New York federal court accusing the movie producer of sex trafficking by inviting her to a hotel room in France and sexually assaulting her  appears at a news conference with attorney Jeff Herman in New York City  New York  U.S.  November 28  2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
 Weinstein  and his representatives have also denied the allegations of more than 50 women who have accused  him  of sexually harassing or assaulting them over the past three decades. Reuters has been unable to confirm the allegations. Nobleâs case adds another accuser to the list while also seeking to test the reach of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000  a U.S. law that has been reauthorized or amended several times  expanding its extraterritorial reach.
âIt was a statute intended to punish those who participate in human sex trafficking â Callan said. âWhat the lawyers here have done is they have cherry-picked phrases from that statute in an effort to prove that Harvey Weinsteinâs actions in allegedly sexually abusing the actress fits into that statute.â
(Reuters) - The lawyer representing   [TGT]  âs latest accuser is attempting to set legal precedent by contending   [TGT]  âs actions overseas make   [TGT]   liable for civil damages under a criminal law against sex trafficking  five legal experts said.
Aspiring British actor Kadian Noble  who has filed a lawsuit against  Harvey Weinstein  in New York federal court accusing the movie producer of sex trafficking by inviting her to a hotel room in France and sexually assaulting her  cries as she speaks at a news conference in New York City  New York  U.S.  November 28  2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
The lawsuit  filed in U.S. District Court in New York  does not accuse  Weinstein  of labor trafficking or other exploitations commonly associated with the commercial sex industry. But the criminal law on which the civil claim in based bans the use of force  threat or coercion for a sex act in exchange for value.
Nobleâs lawsuit claimed  Weinstein  promised  her  a role in a Weinstein Company project and that he invited  her  to his hotel room in February 2014 in France on the premise of viewing  her  show reel  or video highlights of  her  acting.
Responding to the lawsuit  Holly Baird  a spokeswoman for  Weinstein   on Monday denied the allegation of non-consensual sex. Baird could not be reached on Tuesday for comment on the claim that  Weinstein  violated sex trafficking laws.
Aspiring British actor Kadian Noble  who has filed a lawsuit against  Harvey Weinstein  in New York federal court accusing the movie producer of sex trafficking by inviting her to a hotel room in France and sexually assaulting her  appears at a news conference with attorney Jeff Herman in New York City  New York  U.S.  November 28  2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
 Weinstein  and his representatives have also denied the allegations of more than 50 women who have accused  him  of sexually harassing or assaulting them over the past three decades. Reuters has been unable to confirm the allegations. Nobleâs case adds another accuser to the list while also seeking to test the reach of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000  a U.S. law that has been reauthorized or amended several times  expanding its extraterritorial reach.
âIt was a statute intended to punish those who participate in human sex trafficking â Callan said. âWhat the lawyers here have done is they have cherry-picked phrases from that statute in an effort to prove that Harvey Weinsteinâs actions in allegedly sexually abusing the actress fits into that statute.â