The retrial of the rape trial of former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein ended in a deadlock on Friday (local time) after the jury said it was deadlocked on the verdict, the AP reported.
Although Weinstein has been convicted of other sex crimes on both coasts of the United States and remains behind bars, the rape charge in New York remains unresolved after three trials. Weinstein looked expressionless as court officers escorted him away in a wheelchair.
An all-male jury in Manhattan considered whether Weinstein raped Jessica Mann, a hairdresser and actress. His lawyers argued the encounter was consensual and took place in 2013 during a complicated relationship between the then-married Weinstein and the much younger Mann.
Read also | Jessica Mann describes Harvey Weinstein’s hotel rape in emotional court testimony
The crash comes nearly a year after another New York jury failed to reach a verdict on a charge related to Mann’s allegations, which she detailed on the witness stand, according to reports.
Signs of an impasse emerged hours into the third day of negotiations. The jurors sent a note saying they “concluded they could not reach” a unanimous verdict. Judge Curtis Farber ordered the group to continue deliberating. That’s generally what New York judges do, at least when the jury first says he’s stuck.
Another hearing has been set for June 24 to decide whether prosecutors will proceed with a fourth trial. District Attorney Alvin Bragg said he was disappointed by the outcome, but “we have a deep respect for the jury system.” Bragg added that his staff will consult with the survivor about the next trial and will also take into account what happens to Weinstein when he is convicted in another case.
The allegations against Harvey Weinstein
Before a wave of sexual harassment and assault allegations became public in 2017, Harvey Weinstein was considered one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures, an Oscar-winning producer, studio executive and prominent Democratic donor. The allegations helped fuel the #MeToo movement’s push for sexual abuse accountability, made Weinstein an industry outcast, led to the collapse of his studio and resulted in criminal cases against him in New York and Los Angeles.
The former Hollywood mogul was first convicted of third-degree rape in early 2020, including Mann, but a New York state appeals court overturned his conviction in 2024, saying the judge improperly allowed testimony on charges unrelated to the case, NBC News reported.
Read also | Harvey Weinstein’s accusers say the jury’s allegations of misconduct are implausible
A second trial took place in 2025 and ended with a jury convicting him of a first-degree criminal sexual act for forcibly performing oral sex on former “Project Runway” production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006.
Mann’s allegations against Weinstein
Weinstein, who has consistently denied the allegations, has said that while he was unfaithful to his then-wife and “acted badly”, he never assaulted anyone.
Mann, now 40, met Harvey Weinstein at a party in Los Angeles in early 2013 when she hoped to turn a small number of acting credits into a successful career. Weinstein expressed an interest in her, but it soon became clear that his intentions were not entirely professional.
During the trials, she noted that she was uncomfortable with Weinstein’s initial and intrusive overtures, but succumbed to them and decided to pursue a relationship with him. According to one of her depositions, Weinstein showed up early for their planned breakfast while she was staying with a boyfriend at a Manhattan hotel in March 2013. He was given peace despite Mann’s objections. She added that she escorted him into the room to talk and made it clear she didn’t want sex.
Read also | Convicted? Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein found guilty in new sex crimes trial
Mann never sued Weinstein, but after his 2020 sentencing, she asked for $500,000 and received from him a sex offender settlement fund created during his company’s bankruptcy proceedings. The payment was discussed at last year’s retrial, but the defense did not bring it up this time after extensive disputes over what could and could not be presented to the court.
In total, roughly 100 women have accused Weinstein of sexual assault or harassment.
