Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault after New York retrial
Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of sexual assault in a six-week trial in New York, after his first conviction in the state was overturned last year.
A panel of seven female and five male jurors deliberated for five days before unanimously voting to convict the disgraced film mogul of one of three counts.
The jury found him not guilty of an additional sexual assault charge, and have yet to return a verdict on a charge of rape.
The conviction is in addition to a 16-year sentence that Weinstein has yet to serve after being convicted of sex crimes in Los Angeles.
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Associated Press
22 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Weinstein case judge declares mistrial on remaining rape charge as jury foreperson won't deliberate
NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein 's sex crimes retrial came to a disjointed end Thursday as the jury foreperson declined to deliberate and the judge declared a mistrial on a remaining rape charge, a day after a split verdict on other charges in the landmark #MeToo-era case. The outcome positions the ex-studio boss for a third New York trial — prosecutors said they're ready to retry the rape count — even as he faces a new sentencing on his sexual assault conviction. Weinstein, 73, denies all the charges. The Oscar-winning movie producer had a blank, drained expression as court officers escorted him out Thursday in his wheelchair. His lawyer said he plans to appeal. 'What happened in that jury room was absolutely improper,' attorney Arthur Aidala said outside court. Weinstein is due back in court July 2 for discussion of retrial and sentencing dates. His first-degree criminal sex act conviction carries the potential for up to 25 years in prison, while the unresolved third-degree rape charge is punishable by up to four years — less than he already has served. He's been behind bars since his initial conviction in 2020, and he later also was sentenced to prison in a separate California case, which he's appealing. In Wednesday's partial verdict, Weinstein was convicted of one criminal sex act charge but acquitted of another. Both concerned accusations of forcing oral sex on women in 2006. Those verdicts still stand. While the jury of seven women and five men was unanimous on those decisions, it got stuck on the rape charge involving another woman, Jessica Mann. The hairstylist and actor testified at length — as she did in 2020 — that Weinstein raped her amid a years-long consensual relationship. 'I will never give up on myself and making sure my voice – and the truth – is heard,' Mann said in a statement Thursday, confirming she's ready to testify yet again. Jury-room strains started leaking into public view Friday, when a juror asked to be excused because he felt another was being treated unfairly. Then Monday, the foreperson complained that other jurors were pushing people to change their minds and talking about information beyond the charges. The man raised concerns again Wednesday, telling the judge he felt afraid in the jury room because another juror was yelling at him for sticking to his opinion and suggested the foreperson would 'see me outside.' When Judge Curtis Farber asked the foreperson Thursday whether he was willing to return to deliberations, the man said said no. And with that, Farber declared a mistrial on the rape count. Two jurors disputed the foreperson's account as they left court. One, Chantan Holmes, said that no one mistreated the man and that she believed he was just tired of deliberating. 'We all felt bad. Because we really wanted to do this. We put our hearts and souls in here,' she said. Another jury member, who identified himself only by his juror number, said the deliberations were contentious, but respectful. Weinstein's 2020 conviction seemed to cement the downfall of one of Hollywood's most powerful men in a pivotal moment for the # MeToo movement. The anti-sexual-misconduct campaign was fueled by allegations against him. But that conviction was overturned last year, and the case was sent back for retrial in the same Manhattan courthouse. Weinstein's accusers said he exploited his Tinseltown influence to dangle career help, get them alone and then trap and force them into sexual encounters. 'These hopeful young women were trying to follow their dreams in a world that he controlled,' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, said at a news conference Thursday. Weinstein's defense portrayed his accusers as Hollywood wannabes and hangers-on who willingly hooked up with him to court opportunity, then later said they were victimized to collect settlement funds and #MeToo approbation. Miriam Haley, the producer and production assistant whom Weinstein was convicted — twice, now — of sexually assaulting, said outside court Wednesday that the new verdict 'gives me hope.' Accuser Kaja Sokola also called it 'a big win for everyone,' even though Weinstein was acquitted of forcibly performing oral sex on her when she was a 19-year-old fashion model. Her allegation was added to the case after the retrial was ordered. Holmes, the juror who spoke outside court, said the panel all felt Sokola 'wasn't credible.' The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted, unless they agree to be identified. Haley, Mann and Sokola did so. ___ Associated Press journalists Joseph B. Frederick and Ted Shaffrey contributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein's New York Case Isn't Over Yet
There's one conviction in Harvey Weinstein's New York criminal case, but the saga continues. A jury of 12 had found Weinstein guilty Wednesday of one count of a criminal sexual act against former Project Runway assistant Miriam Haley, but not guilty of the other count of a criminal sexual act against former model Kaja Sokola. More from The Hollywood Reporter Harvey Weinstein Gets Mistrial on Rape Charge After Threats to Jury Foreperson Harvey Weinstein Trial Witnesses React to Mixed Verdict, See Win for #MeToo Movement Harvey Weinstein Receives Mixed Partial Verdict as Deliberations Heat Up in Criminal Case The jurors were sent home Wednesday afternoon, amid inflamed tensions and one juror saying he was being threatened by others, with plans to resume deliberating the next day on the remaining charge of rape in the third degree. However, on Thursday, the juror refused to return to the deliberation room and a mistrial was called on that charge. Prosecutors said they plan to retry Weinstein on the rape charge. The criminal sexual act conviction is a higher felony charge than rape in the third degree and carries a maximum prison sentence of 25 years. Asked why the Manhattan District Attorney's office was still pursuing the retrial charge – which will be Weinstein's third trial on that charge – DA Alvin Bragg said it was on behalf of Jessica Mann, who was the complaining witness on that charge. 'It's about the survivors and, yes, Harvey Weinstein is going to be held accountable for his conduct as to Ms. Haley, and he's facing a very significant term of imprisonment for that, but the jury was not able to reach a conclusion as to Ms. Mann, and she deserves that,' Bragg said. 'I will never give up on myself and making sure my voice – and the truth – is heard. I have told the District Attorney I am ready, willing and able to endure this as many times as it takes for justice and accountability to be served. Today is not the end of my fight,' Mann said in a statement. Mann also testified in Weinstein's 2020 trial, making this upcoming trial her third time on the stand. The verdict in Weinstein's 2020 rape and criminal sexual assault conviction was overturned in April 2024 after the court of appeals found the trial prejudiced Weinstein with improper rulings, including allowing women to testify about allegations that were not part of the case. Conversely, Weinstein's attorney, Arthur Aidala, said his team is continuing to look into juror misconduct and file motions with Judge Curtis Farber to bring the jurors back in and try to find out what happened in the jury room. (He pushed for this many times over the past few days, but was denied by Farber.) 'None of us have ever heard of that, where a jury is so intimidating, a grown man who was in good physical shape in his late 30s, [says], 'I'm afraid to go back into the deliberating room'. If that doesn't cast doubt on the verdicts here, I don't know what would, so this is not over,' Aidala told press outside the courthouse. The goal is to get the conviction thrown out. However, the jury had reached unanimous verdicts on the other two counts, and the foreperson had said in court that he was not coerced into those decisions. If that doesn't happen, Aidala plans to appeal Weinstein's conviction on the one felony charge. He added that he did not know whether Weinstein will remain at Bellevue Hospital, where he's been throughout the trial, or return to Rikers. Aidala's team has repeatedly pointed to their client's poor health over the past months, and he said that would also be something they bring up during sentencing. Weinstein also still faces a 16-year prison sentence in California, after being convicted in 2022 of rape and other sex crimes. Aidala's team has also appealed that conviction. 'Mr. Weinstein started off with a 23-year prison term when we left here on March 11 of [2020]. Those numbers are now out the window,' Aidala said. 'Of course, Mr. Weinstein is disappointed. He has maintained his innocence from the day I met him in 2019. In 2020, when I sat next to when the verdict came in guilty on [Miriam Haley] he said to me, 'How could this happen? I'm innocent. I'm innocent.' He basically said the same thing yesterday to Mr. Cibella who sat next to him.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Harvey Weinstein Gets Mistrial on Rape Charge After Threats to Jury Foreperson
Harvey Weinstein's rape charge ended in mistrial after the jury foreperson refused to return to the jury room Thursday after saying he faced threats from other jurors. The 12-person jury in Weinstein's trial had found him guilty Wednesday of one count of a criminal sexual act against former Project Runway assistant Miriam Haley, but not guilty of the other count of a criminal sexual act against former model Kaja Sokola. More from The Hollywood Reporter Harvey Weinstein Trial Witnesses React to Mixed Verdict, See Win for #MeToo Movement Harvey Weinstein Receives Mixed Partial Verdict as Deliberations Heat Up in Criminal Case Jurors Raise Concerns About Harvey Weinstein Deliberations After the mistrial was declared, prosecutors said Thursday that they plan to retry Weinstein on the rape charge, related to aspiring actress Jessica Mann, and that 'she is ready and willing and wants to retry this count.' A July 2 hearing has been set on that charge. Weinstein faced one charge of rape in the third degree and two charges of criminal sexual act in the first degree, which is the higher felony charge and carries a maximum prison sentence of 25 years. The rape charge carries a sentence of up to four years. On Wednesday, the jury had yet to reach a verdict on rape in the third degree, but jurors were sent home midday amid concerns about fighting and tensions in the jury room. They had been in the midst of their fifth day of deliberations. The jury foreperson had sent a note Wednesday afternoon asking to speak to the judge and then told the attorneys and Judge Curtis Farber: 'I feel afraid inside there. I can't be inside there.' He added that other jurors had been trying to get him to change his decision, and, when he had refused, had said 'Oh we will see you outside,' and that he was concerned for his own safety. When the foreperson was asked Thursday if he would return to the jury room, he told the court, 'No, I'm sorry.' However, Farber spoke with the others jurors after the mistrial was declared Thursday and said 'they were extremely disappointed' that deliberations had not continued and that 'They don't understand why the foreperson bowed out.' Jury tensions had reached such a fever pitch Wednesday that Weinstein himself addressed the court, urging the judge for a mistrial. His request was denied at the time. 'This is not right for me, the person who is on trial here,' Weinstein said Wednesday. 'This is my life that's on the line, and you know what? It's not fair. It's simple. It's just not fair.' The foreperson, who is charged with speaking on behalf of the jury, then returned to court after the jury had been dismissed Wednesday and implied that he did not want to go back into the deliberation room Thursday. He returned to court, but was being kept separately from the other jurors Thursday morning. On Monday morning, the foreperson had also asked to speak to the judge and said that jurors were considering elements from Weinstein's past that weren't being used as evidence in the trial and weren't part of the charged crimes. Another juror, who was juror No. 7 on this case and the youngest on the jury, had asked to address the court twice Friday, first saying he had heard jurors discussing another juror in the courtroom elevators, and then asking to be excused from the jury as he did not feel the process was 'fair,' while staring at the defense table. 'If you're a deliberating juror you have to be punched in the face in order for it to rise to the level of a real threat,' Weinstein's attorney, Arthur Aidala said Thursday, while urging the judge to call for mistrial before the juror entered. 'It's insane in the membrane, insane on the brain.' All of this comes after Weinstein's 2020 rape and criminal sexual assault conviction was overturned in April 2024 after the court of appeals found the trial prejudiced Weinstein with improper rulings, including allowing women to testify about allegations that were not part of the case. In the 2020 trial, Weinstein received a mixed verdict with the jury finding Weinstein guilty of the crimes against Haley and Mann, but also acquitting Weinstein of first-degree rape and predatory sexual assault related to other women. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg pursued the retrial of Weinstein shortly after his conviction was overturned. In this trial, Mann had testified that she had first met Weinstein around 2013 at a party in Hollywood. After later attending his Oscars party, Mann said she was invited by Weinstein up to his hotel room, where he said he wanted to give Mann and her friend a script for Vampire Academy. There, Weinstein performed unwanted oral sex on her. After that incident, Mann said she decided to embark on a relationship with him. 'I just thought it would take the pain away,' Mann said on the stand. The charge relates to an alleged incident with Weinstein in a Manhattan hotel in March 2013. At the time, Mann was visiting New York City with friends and said she had arranged to meet Weinstein for breakfast, along with her friends, but found that he had arrived early at her hotel and was in the process of booking a hotel room. Despite her protests, Weinstein booked the room and she followed him upstairs. Once there, she claims he repeatedly held the door shut as she tried to leave and said she didn't want to do this, while he grabbed her arms and told her to undress. She did so, and said Weinstein then went to the bathroom and injected himself with a substance which she later found was to treat erectile dysfunction, and then performed unwanted penetrative sex on her. More to come. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
