The decide in Harvey Weinstein’s intercourse crimes case declared a mistrial on the remaining rape cost after the jury foreperson mentioned he wouldn’t proceed deliberating.
Deliberations had been ended Thursday, a day after the jury delivered a partial verdict in Weinstein’s intercourse crimes retrial, convicting the ex-studio boss of one of many prime expenses however acquitted him of one other. Each of these expenses involved accusations of forcing oral intercourse on girls in 2006. These verdicts nonetheless stand.
The jury received caught on a 3rd cost involving accusations from Jessica Mann. The hairstylist and actor testified for days — as she did in 2020 — concerning the rape she mentioned she endured in a Manhattan lodge room and about why she continued to see and have consensual encounters with Weinstein afterward.
Mann is able to go to trial a 3rd time, mentioned Manhattan prosecutor Nicole Blumberg after the decide ended deliberations. No new trial date has but been set.
The foreperson complained Wednesday that he felt bullied by one other juror and mentioned Thursday he wouldn’t return into the jury room.
“No. I’m sorry,” he mentioned when requested.
The jury of seven girls and 5 males had unanimously reached choices on the opposite expenses final Friday, the foreperson advised the decide. The decision was delivered Wednesday solely as a result of Choose Curtis Farber requested whether or not there was settlement on any of the costs.
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The third cost was over a rape accusation involving a lady who additionally mentioned she had a consensual relationship with the Oscar-winning producer. Beneath New York regulation, the third-degree rape cost carries a lesser penalty than the opposite two counts.
Weinstein denies all the costs. In an uncommon trade with the decide throughout some authorized arguments earlier than the partial verdict was disclosed Wednesday, he insisted it was unfair to proceed the trial after two jurors got here ahead with considerations concerning the proceedings.
“I can’t be judged by a state of affairs that’s occurring like this,” mentioned Weinstein, 73, saying the decide was “endangering” him.
Jury-room strains began leaking into public view Friday, when a juror requested to be excused as a result of he felt one other was being handled unfairly. Then Monday, the foreperson complained that different jurors had been pushing individuals to alter their minds and speaking about info past the costs.
The person raised considerations once more Wednesday. In a closed-door dialogue with prosecutors, protection legal professionals and the decide, the foreperson mentioned one other juror was yelling at him for sticking to his opinion and at one level vowed, “You going to see me exterior.”
“I really feel afraid inside there,” the foreperson advised the decide and attorneys, based on a transcript.
Weinstein’s preliminary conviction 5 years in the past appeared to cement the downfall of considered one of Hollywood’s strongest males in a pivotal second for the #MeToo motion towards sexual misconduct.
However that conviction was overturned final yr, and the case was despatched again for retrial in the identical Manhattan courthouse.
Weinstein’s accusers mentioned he exploited his Tinseltown affect to dangle profession assist, get them alone after which lure and power them into sexual encounters.
His defence portrayed his accusers as Hollywood wannabes and hangers-on who willingly connected with him to courtroom alternative, then later mentioned they had been victimized to gather settlement funds and #MeToo approbation.
Miriam Haley, the producer and manufacturing assistant whom Weinstein was convicted — twice, now — of sexually assaulting, mentioned exterior courtroom Wednesday that the brand new verdict “offers me hope.”
Accuser Kaja Sokola additionally known as it “a giant win for everybody,” despite the fact that Weinstein was acquitted of forcibly performing oral intercourse on her when she was a 19-year-old style mannequin. Her allegation was added to the case after the retrial was ordered.
Weinstein additionally was convicted of raping one other lady in California. He’s interesting that conviction.
The Related Press typically doesn’t title individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted, until they comply with be recognized. Haley, Mann and Sokola did so.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
