Harvey Weinstein retrial ends in mistrial over rape cost after one juror allegedly threatened one other

The Harvey Weinstein retrial in New York took one other dramatic flip Thursday when the decide declared a mistrial on the remaining rape cost, which the jury had but to resolve. 

The mistrial comes a day after the jury foreperson stated he was threatened by one other juror and didn’t really feel protected. He was given a safety element when he returned to courtroom Thursday, and the decide requested whether or not he felt he may maintain deliberating, to which he replied, “No, I am sorry.”

The decide then thanked the jury members for his or her time and stated the choice to declare a mistrial didn’t replicate on them.

The jury had returned a partial verdict Wednesday, discovering Weinstein responsible of legal sexual assault towards Miriam Haley and never responsible of legal sexual assault towards Kaja Sokola.

“All of us felt like [Sokola] wasn’t credible,” one juror stated outdoors courtroom Thursday.

On the time, the jury stated they’d not but reached a verdict on the remaining cost of third-degree rape towards Jessica Mann, and the decide stated they’d proceed deliberating Thursday. 

Jurors say they’re upset

Some jurors stated they have been upset as they left courtroom, including they took the case severely and gave it their greatest.

“I had a terrific expertise. Once more, I am upset we did not get to complete deliberating the third one,” one juror stated.  

They stated many of the jury felt Weinstein needs to be convicted of the remaining depend, however it got here down to 1 juror who didn’t wish to change his thoughts.

“He by no means labored with any of us to inform us what he was doing,” one girl stated. “The primary time he went privately on the market, we requested him, ‘What are you doing?’ And he would not inform us. And later we discovered that he was making an attempt to get out.”

“It began rocky. As I am positive all people is aware of by now, it was a tough couple days. Sadly, issues broke down. A whole lot of good individuals in there, quite a lot of stuff occurred,” a juror, who didn’t wish to be recognized, stated outdoors the courthouse.

Jurors described some friction, however not hazard.

“It isn’t like a battle was going to interrupt out, no, clearly not. I feel it was simply excessive rigidity, you understand? Individuals have been simply drained,” one juror stated. “, we have been there for seven weeks. It is cabin fever. You are locked in a room … Most of us have been simply drained. The summer season solar was popping out. I feel most of us simply wished it to be over with.”

Weinstein didn’t seem to have a lot of a response to the mistrial ruling. The 73-year-old may now face one other retrial on the rape cost. 

“He is very robust willed. His thoughts continues to be sharp,” Weinstein’s publicist Juda Engelmayer stated outdoors courtroom. “His physique is taking slightly little bit of a toll, however he is a fighter.”

Manhattan DA’s workplace intends to retry the rape cost

Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg held a information convention Thursday afternoon, saying his workplace intends to retry the rape cost. He stated Mann is able to go to trial for a 3rd time and that she deserves a call. 

“It is a case about an immense energy imbalance. Harvey Weinstein was a rich Hollywood gatekeeper, a titan of flicks and tv for many years. These hopeful younger ladies have been making an attempt to comply with their desires in a world that he managed,” Bragg stated. “It is a case about correcting generally held misconceptions about rape. Rape can and does occur between acquaintances and between romantic companions. Rape can and does occur earlier than or after consensual intercourse, and rape can and does occur years earlier than a survivor is able to report.”

“I’ll by no means surrender on myself and ensuring my voice — and the reality — is heard. I’ve advised the District Legal professional I’m prepared, keen and capable of endure this as many instances because it takes for justice and accountability to be served. Right now shouldn’t be the tip of my battle,” Mann stated in an announcement Thursday.

Weinstein’s crew, in the meantime, stated a 3rd trial is pointless.

“In fact Mr. Weinstein is upset. He has maintained his innocence from the day I met him,” protection legal professional Arthur Aidala stated. “We’ve got very highly effective proof that there was gross juror misconduct at this trial.”

Aidala stated additionally they plan to file motions saying the responsible verdict for the legal sexual assault cost have to be thrown out based mostly on jury misconduct.

A brand new trial date has not been set, however attorneys will return for a standing listening to on July 2 to debate the way forward for the case. 

When requested to remark in regards to the disagreement among the many jury, Bragg stated a “vigorous and sturdy change of concepts throughout the jury room is a vital hallmark of our jury system.”

Bragg additionally thanked every of the accusers for coming ahead and sharing their tough testimony, in addition to the prosecutors, courtroom workers and jury.

“Every spent days on the witness stand sharing essentially the most traumatic moments of their lives in a room stuffed with strangers. Their credibility and character have been attacked throughout prolonged cross-examinations. They have been accused of being cash hungry. They have been known as liars. They have been even advised that they, in truth, have been the abusers,” he stated. “However they stood their floor, and for that I’m terribly grateful.”

He inspired survivors of sexual assault to contact his workplace’s Particular Victims Division at 212-335-9373.

Drama within the Weinstein jury deliberations

The deliberations among the many seven ladies and 5 males on the jury have been seemingly tense.

On June 6, someday after deliberations started, a juror requested to be eliminated over claims that some jurors have been appearing unfairly, however the decide denied the request.

Monday, a juror requested to talk with the decide privately. Wednesday, the jury foreperson requested to talk to the decide in non-public and alleged one other juror had threatened him over his determination on the rape cost.

“Anyone speak to me, ‘Oh, we’ll see you outdoors,’ as a result of I obtained my determination. I say, ‘No, that is my private determination. You do not have to vary me,'” the foreperson stated, based on a transcript.  

The protection repeatedly known as for a mistrial over the obvious issues among the many jury, and Weinstein, himself, weighed in Wednesday.

“This is not honest. This is not proper. I am the one on trial. That is my life that is on the road. I’m not getting a good trial. You might be endangering me,” he stated.

The decide requested the jury foreperson if he felt protected returning to courtroom Thursday, and the jury foreperson stated he did, however he was supplied court-appointed safety.

The jury requested the foundations of a hung jury and different guidelines of deliberations earlier within the week.

The retrial of Harvey Weinstein

New York’s highest courtroom overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction final 12 months, ruling the decide in his first trial mustn’t have allowed testimony from accusers who weren’t a part of the legal expenses. Weinstein then spent months on the Rikers Island jail complicated main as much as his retrial. 

Haley and Mann, who testified in the course of the unique trial, have been again on the stand for the retrial. Sokola was not a part of the primary trial.

Mann alleges Weinstein raped her in a Manhattan resort room in 2013. She stated it occurred throughout a consensual relationship that continued for years afterward, telling the jury she “compartmentalized” the ache he prompted. Weinstein’s attorneys emphasised she saved seeing him, accepting invites and sending him messages. 

“Rape can occur in relationships — and in dynamics the place energy and manipulation management the narrative,” Mann stated in an announcement Wednesday.

Haley testified Weinstein forcibly carried out oral intercourse on her in July 2006, and Sokola alleged he forcibly carried out oral intercourse on her that very same 12 months when she was 19 years outdated.

“The protection set a really disruptive and chaotic tone from the very starting of this trial, which I suppose was meant to distract jury from plain details. And I am so grateful that they noticed by way of the nonsense and the antics,” Haley stated after Wednesday’s partial verdict.

“I am very glad he is convicted. That is all that issues,” stated Sokola.

Weinstein, in the meantime, is interesting his 2022 sexual assault conviction in Los Angeles, the place he was sentenced to 16 years in jail.

The Related Press

contributed to this report.