Ambrosio Rodriguez on CNN Newsroom Discussing Louis C.K sexual misconduct controversy on 11-10-17
The Rodriguez Law Group
626 Wilshire Blvd Suite 460
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 995-6767
Transcription Below:
Welcome back. Another high profile entertainer embroiled in a sexual misconduct controversy. This time it is comedian Louis C.K. Five women tell their stories to the New York Times, including how the
comedian reportedly exposed himself and performed lewd sex acts in front of them or made lewd comments or requests. The reaction was swift, the premiere of his new movie was canceled. Also scrapped and appearance on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. CNN has not independently confirmed the allegations. No response yet from the comedian. Let’s bring in criminal defense attorney Ambrosio Rodriguez. He led the sexual assault and child abuse unit in the Riverside County, California district attorney’s office. He joins us down from Los Angeles. Thanks so much for talking with us. Well, the allegations just keep growing. It’s been shocking. It’s like the flood gates are open and victims, men and women are ready to talk. What do you make of it?
Well, I think everything changed after Weinstein. I mean, once they saw someone as important, as powerful as Harvey Weinstein fall, it kind of opened up the floodgates for a lot of people who feel or
making the accusations that they’d been victimized by people who are more powerful people in position of authority and influence, uh, in Los Angeles. And it is really the talk of the town. This is a, has frozen
kind of the entertainment world in Los Angeles. I mean, we’ve had what happened with Kevin Spacey, the fact that, and you know, potentially Oscar nominated movie, uh, is being reshot and his part is being taken out. I mean, that’s, that’s unheard of. And now the allegations against Mr. Louis C K, uh, who was beloved and very popular and you know, obviously the accusations against him, I mean, these are crimes. They’re not, this isn’t a sexual harassment. These are sex crimes, uh, exposing herself the way,
uh, the various women’s have come forward, uh, have reported our crimes, their crimes that if convicted, uh, require having to register as a sex offender required jail time and even prison time, if
there are multiple convictions. So we are in a new era, in a new time after Weinstein fell.
I did want to ask you, since you are an expert in this area, you’ve led sexual assault cases there and in California, if so many people ask, well why do the women not talk? But we certainly know the pressure
on victims to go public with something like this.
Oh, absolutely. I mean, it’s hard enough for women to come forward when it’s not public. When i’s not a famous person of influence and authority to come forward. I mean, most of the time when we’re talking about these kinds of cases, the accusations are never against strangers. Those are the rarest of cases when it comes to sex crimes. What is the most common is that it’s a, someone in the family, a father, stepfather, uncle, a family member or a coach, a teacher. It is very difficult for them to do that in a, in a setting where it doesn’t mean that your entire life is going to be exposed. It’s going to be analyzed. It’s going to be attacked by a high profile defense attorneys. And, uh, there’s a kind of a machine to protect
the, these type of men. So people should not be, uh, in any way, uh, alarmed or, or should they be doubted simply because it’s taken them so long to come forward right there.
And the other element is more about it, you know, talk about is it takes a long time to even be able to talk about something. You’re like this, you’re shocked. It’s traumatic, you’re full of shame. It’s even hard
to comprehend what you’ve experienced.
Right. And the most natural reaction it is for women to feel that they did something to deserve this. That is what did I do in order to, for this to happen to me. So, yeah, I mean, Natalie, you’re absolutely right.
This is something that most women do not want to deal with in a public setting, but there has been a major cultural shift, um, in the last month. Uh, that seems to, we’re kind of at the tip of the iceberg now.
Yeah. A tipping point. If this is a larger, uh, perhaps somewhere we’re going in a positive way to something that’s been going on for so very, very long.
Criminal defense attorney Ambrosio Rodriguez, thanks so much. We appreciate your time.
Appreciate it.
source
