A sexual assault case against Steven Seagal has been dropped by the district attorney in Los Angeles.
The actor will not be charged over claims from 2002, levelled against him in the wake of the Me Too movement.
Law enforcement officials have ruled the case cannot be continued against Seagal due to the timeframe of the allegation against him.
Several women have come forward with allegations against Seagal (66) who carved out a career in action films. He has denied all claims against him.
The case has now been dropped, with the Los Angeles district attorney stating the allegation exceeded the time limit in which a criminal complaint has to be made to the authorities.
There was not sufficient evidence to continue the case against him under the criteria that could avoid the statute of limitations window closing.
Information from the Los Angeles district attorney’s office states: “The reporting party alleged that on or between May 1st 2002, and August 21st 2002, she was sexually assaulted by the suspect.
“The case was previously declined for further investigation.
“The results of the subsequent investigation did not yield evidence sufficient to meet the requirements of PC 803(f).
“Therefore the case is declined to the expiry of the statute of limitations.”
The time limit ranges from a six-year window for rape to a three-year window for crimes such as unlawful sexual penetration.
There are exceptions to the statute of limitations defined under PC 803(f), which allow more historical cases to continue if the victim experienced rape, sodomy, continuous sexual abuse, oral copulation or forcible acts of penetration when they were under the age of 18.
After the complaint is brought to the attention of law enforcement, there is then a year to bring a criminal prosecution. – PA
