Jailed ‘Scrubs’ writer Eric Weinberg faces 12 more sexual assault lawsuits Twelve more sexual assault lawsuits were filed Friday against jailed ‘Scrubs’ and ‘Californication’ writer and producer Eric Weinberg, who is accused of being a serial rapist.
Weinberg, 62, is also facing 18 criminal charges involving five women. Two women also filed lawsuits against him in November, alleging that he sexually assaulted them on separate occasions in 2019, reports Variety.
The new lawsuits accuse Weinberg of sexually assaulting 13 women from 1998 to 2017. The women ranged in age from 18 to 35 the the time of the assaults, and most of them allege a common pattern.
According to the complaints, Weinberg would meet women in a public place, such as a cafe or a grocery store, tell them he was a photographer and invite them to participate in a photo shoot.
Weinberg would have them come to his home, where he would begin taking photos. He would then encourage them to undress, and would sexually assault them, according to the lawsuits. Several of the lawsuits state that the women were in fear of being killed or seriously injured if they refused Weinberg’s commands.
Some of the suits allege that he would take photos of the women during the assaults.
Afterward, he would sometimes plead with them not to go to the police. One woman alleged that he threatened to harm her child.
The lawsuits identify the plaintiffs by pseudonymous initials. One of the complaints covers two accusers, who allege that they went together to Weinberg’s house in October 2013, and that he sexually assaulted both of them.
Some of the women allege that he would show them pictures of his kids to put them at ease.
One woman alleges that Weinberg sexually assaulted her when she was working as an actor on the MTV show ‘Death Valley’, where he was a writer and producer.
The suit alleges that Weinberg called her repeatedly in the weeks leading up to the assault and would talk about his penis and sex acts while masturbating.
The suit also alleges that Weinberg cornered her in an isolated part of the set, pinned her against a wall and groped her breast, hip and thigh. She stopped working on the show after that, and refused his invitation to participate in a photo shoot, according to suit.
The woman alleges that Weinberg approached her on the street years later, apparently not recognising her, and complimented her looks and asked if she was an actress. She told him to leave her alone, and he allegedly became angry and grabbed her wrist and tried to force her into her car. The suit alleges that Weinberg approached her two more times in public places in later years, and that she reported him to the police and had to have security cameras installed at her home.
Another woman alleged that Weinberg met her through OKCupid, and they agreed to get a drink at a bar. The woman alleges that Weinberg spiked her drink, took her to her home, and raped her.
Weinberg was arrested in July and released on $3.225 million bail. He was charged on October 5 and his bail was increased to $5 million. He has pleaded not guilty.
A judge revoked his bail on October 25, after finding that the allegations suggest that Weinberg “cannot stop and will not stop his sexual assaults on women, and therefore he poses a danger to the safety of women.”
At the time, prosecutors said that the LAPD had received more than 70 tips about Weinberg.
He is currently being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic.
Weinberg was first arrested in 2014, but prosecutors declined to file charges.
The plaintiffs are all represented by attorneys Micha Star Liberty and Amy Zeman of Oakland.
The suits name Weinberg and his company, Guitar and Pen Productions, as defendants.
Weinberg worked on ‘Scubs’ from 2001 to 2006. He also worked on ‘Veronica’s Closet’, ‘Californication’ and ‘Anger Management’.
–IANS
dc/kvd
