Harvey Weinstein sex crimes retrial ends in disarray as jury foreperson refuses to deliberate

Harvey Weinstein's activity crimes retrial lawsuit ended successful disarray connected Thursday arsenic nan assemblage foreperson refused to deliberate and nan judge declared a mistrial connected a remaining rape allegation.

The ruling came a time aft a divided verdict connected different charges successful nan landmark #MeToo-era lawsuit and now sets up nan erstwhile workplace leader for a 3rd proceedings successful New York.

Before that lawsuit nevertheless goes ahead, nan 73-year-old will look caller sentencing early adjacent period connected his intersexual battle conviction.

The Oscar-winning movie shaper denies each nan charges and his lawyer says he plans to appeal.

In Wednesday's partial verdict, Weinstein was convicted of 1 criminal activity enactment complaint but acquitted of another. Both concerned accusations of forcing oral activity connected women successful 2006. Those verdicts still stand.

While nan assemblage of 7 women and 5 men was unanimous connected those decisions, it sewage stuck connected nan rape complaint involving different woman, Jessica Mann. The hairstylist and character testified astatine magnitude — arsenic she did successful 2020 — that Weinstein raped her amid a years-long consensual relationship.

“I will ne'er springiness up connected myself and making judge my sound – and nan truth – is heard," Mann said successful a connection Thursday, confirming she's fresh to attest yet again.

Jury room strains

Tensions and disagreements among nan assemblage began to look successful nationalist past Friday arsenic 1 personnel asked to beryllium excused because he felt different was being treated unfairly. On Monday, nan foreperson complained that different jurors were pushing group to alteration their minds and talking astir accusation beyond nan charges.

The man raised concerns again Wednesday, telling nan judge he felt acrophobic successful nan assemblage room because different juror was yelling astatine him for sticking to his sentiment and suggested nan foreperson would “see maine outside.”

When Judge Curtis Farber asked nan foreperson Thursday whether he was consenting to return to deliberations, nan man said said no. And pinch that, Farber declared a mistrial connected nan rape count.

Two jurors disputed nan foreperson's relationship arsenic they near court. One, Chantan Holmes, said that nary 1 mistreated nan man and that she believed he was conscionable tired of deliberating.

“We each felt bad. Because we really wanted to do this. We put our hearts and souls successful here,” she said.

Another assemblage member, who identified himself only by his juror number, said nan deliberations were contentious, but respectful.

“What happened successful that assemblage room was perfectly improper,” lawyer Arthur Aidala said extracurricular court.

Weinstein is owed backmost successful tribunal July 2 for chat of retrial and sentencing dates. His first-degree criminal activity enactment condemnation carries nan imaginable for up to 25 years successful jail, while nan unresolved third-degree rape complaint is punishable by up to 4 years — little than he already has served.

He's been down bars since his first condemnation successful 2020, and he later besides was sentenced to situation successful a abstracted California case, which he’s appealing.

Fall from grace

Weinstein’s 2020 condemnation seemed to cement nan downfall of 1 of Hollywood’s astir powerful men successful a pivotal infinitesimal for nan #MeToo movement. The anti-sexual-misconduct run was fueled by allegations against him.

But that condemnation was overturned past year, and nan lawsuit was sent backmost for retrial successful nan aforesaid Manhattan courthouse.

Weinstein’s accusers said he exploited his Tinseltown power to dangle profession help, get them unsocial and past trap and unit them into intersexual encounters.

“These hopeful young women were trying to travel their dreams successful a world that he controlled,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, said astatine a news convention Thursday.

Weinstein's defence portrayed his accusers arsenic Hollywood wannabes and hangers-on who willingly hooked up pinch him successful nan dream of getting opportunities, past later said they were victimized to cod colony costs and #MeToo approbation.

Miriam Haley, nan shaper and accumulation adjunct whom Weinstein was convicted — twice, now — of sexually assaulting, said extracurricular tribunal Wednesday that nan caller verdict “gives maine hope.”

Accuser Kaja Sokola besides called it “a large triumph for everyone,” moreover though Weinstein was acquitted of forcibly performing oral activity connected her erstwhile she was a 19-year-old manner model. Her allegation was added to nan lawsuit aft nan retrial was ordered.