Prosecutors in California on Thursday said that their sex crimes team was reviewing allegations of sexual assault against actor Sylvester Stallone, Reuters reported. Greg Risling, the spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, did not provide details but said the case was reported by police in the city of Santa Monica.
In December, Stallone’s attorney Martin Singer said a woman had “filed a police report alleging a rape that occurred 27 years ago”. The complaint was reportedly filed the month before. The lawyer said the actor had a relationship with a woman for less than a week while shooting a movie in Israel in 1987, and he “categorically disputes the claim” if the complainant is the same woman.
One of Stallone’s other lawyers had said that the actor was planning to take legal action against the complainant for filing a false police report, Deadline reported.
The state of California has a complex statute of limitations for criminal prosecution of sexual abuse, and mandates that such offences generally be prosecuted within 10 years of the crime.
Stallone became famous in 1976 with his Oscar-winning boxing movie Rocky, and became one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars after starring in the Rambo and Rocky film series. Stallone is the latest actor to be accused of sexual assault and harassment. Actors and directors such as Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Brett Ratner, Geoffrey Rush, Ryan Seacrest and Kevin Spacey have faced allegations since nearly 70 women accused producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually harassing them.
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