Harvey Weinstein Trial: Mistrial Declared on Rape Charge Following Sex-Abuse Conviction

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Mistrial comes a day after the jury convicted the former movie mogul on a separate sex-abuse charge

The judge presiding over Harvey Weinstein's criminal trial in Manhattan declared a mistrial on a rape charge against the former Hollywood movie mogul after a juror refused to continue deliberations.

The mistrial occurred a day after Weinstein was convicted on a separate sex-abuse charge and acquitted on a different sex abuse charge.

Weinstein, once a powerful figure in Hollywood, faced a retrial that began on April 23 following the overturning of his 2020 conviction by a New York State appeals court last year.

Prosecutors accused Weinstein of raping an aspiring actress and assaulting two other women in this case.

Weinstein, 73, pleaded not guilty and denied assaulting anyone or engaging in non-consensual sex.

The jury found Weinstein guilty on one of the three counts he faced, related to his alleged assault of former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. The jury acquitted Weinstein of a charge stemming from his alleged assault of Kaja Sokola in 2002 when she was a 16-year-old aspiring actress.

Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber declared a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict on a third count, which accused Weinstein of raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.

Weinstein faces a possible 25-year prison sentence when he is sentenced. He has already been sentenced to 16 years in prison following a rape conviction in California.

In a surprising turn of events, the jury foreperson informed Farber on Wednesday that other panel members were shouting at him and threatening him for refusing to change his vote on the rape count. Farber dismissed the jurors for the day to allow them to cool down and instructed the foreperson to arrive in court separately on Thursday.

During closing arguments on June 3, the prosecution highlighted how Weinstein used his power and influence to trap and abuse women, while the defence argued that the accusers lied on the witness stand out of spite after their consensual encounters with the producer did not lead to Hollywood stardom.

A jury had previously found Weinstein guilty in February 2020 of raping Mann and sexually assaulting Haley. Sokola's allegation was not part of that case.

The conviction marked a significant moment for the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women to speak out against sexual misconduct by powerful individuals. However, the New York Court of Appeals overturned that conviction in April 2024, citing errors by the trial judge in allowing certain testimonies.

Despite the overturned conviction, Weinstein, who has faced various health issues and attended the retrial in a wheelchair, remains in custody due to his California conviction and is appealing that verdict.

Over 100 women, including prominent actors, have accused Weinstein of misconduct. He co-founded Miramax studio, known for producing award-winning films like Shakespeare in Love and Pulp Fiction. Weinstein's own film studio filed for bankruptcy in March 2018, following widespread sexual misconduct allegations against him.



Source: The Globe and Mail
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