Eric Weinberg , a veteran writer-producer on the TV show “ Scrubs ,” was ordered on Tuesday to stand trial on 28 charges of rape and sexual assault. Weinberg, 63, who also wrote on “ Californication ” and “ Politically Incorrect ” with Bill Maher, faces multiple life sentences if convicted. Judge Charlaine Olmedo heard testimony from nine women at a preliminary hearing that ran for more than two weeks in late April and early May.
The women told similar stories of being approached by Weinberg in public places, where he asked if they were interested in modeling. Many of the women testified that agreed to meet Weinberg at his home, where he would begin to take photos. At some point, the encounter would become sexual, as Weinberg either began to remove their clothing or groped himself.
Several of the women — identified in court as Jane Does — said they became terrified when they realized the photo shoot was just a pretext to isolate them and sexually assault them. “I was afraid he was going to kill me,” one of the women said. Said another: “I thought maybe he would attack me, or rape me, or worst-case scenario: death.
.. No one knew where I was.
So if something had happened there would be no trace of me.” Four of the women testified that Weinberg choked them during the encounters. One said that he put both hands on her throat.
“I just remember thinking I was going to die,” she testified. Weinberg met one of the women on Model Mayhem, a professional site.
