Russell Simmons & Brett Ratner Investigated In 2001 On Sexual Battery

The Beverly Hills Police Department investigated producers Brett Ratner and Russell Simmons for alleged sexual battery in 2001, Variety reports, citing the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office and the producers’ criminal defense attorney.

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Prosecutors declined to press charges in the case, due to insufficient evidence.

The alleged victim, a 29-year-old woman, came into the department to file a report at 4:45 a.m. on the morning of November 3, 2001. She alleged that two men held her against her will and that both touched her unlawfully, according to police.

She said the incident occurred between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. that morning at a home in the 1200 block of Benedict Canyon Drive. Ratner’s home, known as Hilhaven Lodge, is on the same block. At the time of the incident, Ratner was coming off the biggest hit of his career with “Rush Hour 2.”

In response to the newly surfaced allegations, Simmons has released a statement, saying, “This is an important and critical time for the empowerment of women and men who have been harassed. I have been a public figure for all of my adult life. And when you are in that arena over decades, you can find yourself in a position where you are vulnerable and susceptible to claims that are untrue.”

Last week, Warner Bros., which has a $450 million film co-financing deal with Ratner’s RatPac Entertainment, forced Ratner to vacate his office on the studio’s Burbank lot after the L.A. Times reported that six women had accused him of sexual misconduct.

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Russell Simmons & Brett Ratner Investigated In 2001 For Sexual Battery  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com