There’s one conviction in Harvey Weinstein‘s New York legal case, however the saga continues.
A jury of 12 had discovered Weinstein responsible Wednesday of 1 rely of a legal sexual act towards former Undertaking Runway assistant Miriam Haley, however not responsible of the opposite rely of a legal sexual act towards former mannequin Kaja Sokola.
The jurors have been despatched dwelling Wednesday afternoon, amid infected tensions and one juror saying he was being threatened by others, with plans to renew deliberating the following day on the remaining cost of rape within the third diploma. Nonetheless, on Thursday, the juror refused to return to the deliberation room and a mistrial was referred to as on that cost. Prosecutors mentioned they plan to retry Weinstein on the rape cost.
The legal sexual act conviction is the next felony cost than rape within the third diploma and carries a most jail sentence of 25 years. Requested why the Manhattan District Legal professional’s workplace was nonetheless pursuing the retrial cost – which might be Weinstein’s third trial on that cost – DA Alvin Bragg mentioned it was on behalf of Jessica Mann, who was the complaining witness on that cost.
“It’s in regards to the survivors and, sure, Harvey Weinstein goes to be held accountable for his conduct as to Ms. Haley, and he’s dealing with a really important time period of imprisonment for that, however the jury was not capable of attain a conclusion as to Ms. Mann, and he or she deserves that,” Bragg mentioned.
“I’ll by no means quit on myself and ensuring my voice – and the reality – is heard. I’ve advised the District Legal professional I’m prepared, prepared and capable of endure this as many occasions because it takes for justice and accountability to be served. At present shouldn’t be the tip of my combat,” Mann mentioned in a press release.
Mann additionally testified in Weinstein’s 2020 trial, making this upcoming trial her third time on the stand. The decision in Weinstein’s 2020 rape and legal sexual assault conviction was overturned in April 2024 after the court docket of appeals discovered the trial prejudiced Weinstein with improper rulings, together with permitting girls to testify about allegations that weren’t a part of the case.
Conversely, Weinstein’s legal professional, Arthur Aidala, mentioned his staff is continuous to look into juror misconduct and file motions with Decide Curtis Farber to deliver the jurors again in and attempt to discover out what occurred within the jury room. (He pushed for this many occasions over the previous few days, however was denied by Farber.)
“None of us have ever heard of that, the place a jury is so intimidating, a grown man who was in good bodily form in his late 30s, [says], ‘I’m afraid to return into the deliberating room’. If that doesn’t solid doubt on the verdicts right here, I don’t know what would, so this isn’t over,” Aidala advised press outdoors the courthouse.
The aim is to get the conviction thrown out. Nonetheless, the jury had reached unanimous verdicts on the opposite two counts, and the foreperson had mentioned in court docket that he was not coerced into these choices.
If that doesn’t occur, Aidala plans to enchantment Weinstein’s conviction on the one felony cost. He added that he didn’t know whether or not Weinstein will stay at Bellevue Hospital, the place he’s been all through the trial, or return to Rikers.
Aidala’s staff has repeatedly pointed to their shopper’s poor well being over the previous months, and he mentioned that will even be one thing they bring about up throughout sentencing. Weinstein additionally nonetheless faces a 16-year jail sentence in California, after being convicted in 2022 of rape and different intercourse crimes. Aidala’s staff has additionally appealed that conviction.
“Mr. Weinstein began off with a 23-year jail time period after we left right here on March 11 of [2020]. These numbers at the moment are out the window,” Aidala mentioned. “In fact, Mr. Weinstein is dissatisfied. He has maintained his innocence from the day I met him in 2019. In 2020, once I sat subsequent to when the decision got here in responsible on [Miriam Haley] he mentioned to me, ‘How may this occur? I’m harmless. I’m harmless.’ He mainly mentioned the identical factor yesterday to Mr. Cibella who sat subsequent to him.”