Photo: Getty
And another one.
By Bernadette Giacomazzo — Written on Oct 02, 2019
Let's be clear about something: #TimesUp and #MeToo are not about "trying to take down powerful men." They're about holding powerful men accountable for their actions.
So when you hear about this Fast and Furious director, it's not about "trying to take down his career." It's about holding him accountable for his actions — if, indeed, he did what he's being accused of.
So who is Rob Cohen, and is he indeed guilty of sexual assault?
It's important to remember that all suspects in all crimes are innocent until proven guilty, especially in the United States. So, just because someone is accused of something, doesn't mean he did it. And, this post is not going to take sides in either direction — it will merely present the facts as they're known at this moment.
So let's look at what we know about Rob Cohen and what he's being accused of:
1. He's accused of assaulting an unconscious woman.
According to The Independent, Rob Cohen is being accused of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. The outlet reports that the incident took place in NYC in 2015, and that he was meeting with his alleged victim to develop a television show.
2. Rob Cohen allegedly told the victim to drink excessively to render her unconscious.
AOL is reporting that the crux of the case against Rob Cohen is that he rendered the woman unconscious by forcing her to drink until she passed out. (To be fair, no one can "force" someone to drink unless physical violence is involved but that said, the entertainment industry is also ground zero for this sort of behavior.)
3. He vehemently denied all the accusations.
"I have never assaulted, raped, drugged or molested anyone. I have never belonged to any cigar club, and certainly was never there with ‘Jane’. (Out of restraint, I won’t reveal her real name). I hope and pray that the thousands of people who know me, worked with me, and/or are simply fair minded people will see that this is an untrue and unsubstantiated story, which is out there due to a hateful daughter and a mother/ex-wife," he said in a statement to Deadline.
4. Is Rob Cohen's ex-wife behind this?
According to Page Six, there's some suggestion that Rob Cohen's ex-wife — with whom he shares a daughter — is the one behind these accusations. The outlet reports that they have a contentious relationship — so contentious, in fact, that Rob Cohen's second ex-wife had to come out in support of him to take some of the heat off her ex-husband.
5. Rob Cohen's daughter has previously stated that he's a child molester.
"Earlier this year I outed my father, film director Rob Cohen, as a rapist and child molester. This morning, another woman came forward," wrote Valkyrie Weather on her Twitter page. She also encouraged her followers to read Jane Doe's account of the alleged sexual assault.
6. Rob Cohen's attorney suggested that this was a "slander" attempt.
"The proposed story is an outrageous defamatory hit piece, making extraordinarily offensive assertions that my client engaged in heinous sexual misconduct, criminal wrongdoing, and other inappropriate behavior, which are vehemently disputed and denied by my client," Marty Singer — who represented Bill Cosby — said in a statement to The New York Post.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.