The retrial of Harvey Weinstein ended abruptly on Thursday when the jury foreman refused to join deliberations on the remaining rape charge against the disgraced movie mogul. New York state Judge Curtis Farber declared a mistrial, and prosecutors vowed to try Weinstein again on the third-degree rape charge.
Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting one woman, but the jury remained deadlocked on the second count. The verdicts on these two counts stand. During the five-day deliberation period, the jury foreman reported that several members had been clashing and were having trouble reaching a verdict.
In a dramatic turn of events, the foreman told Farber he was done with deliberations, citing being threatened by another panel member. Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg asked for a mistrial, stating they were ready to retry Weinstein on the rape charge. Weinstein’s defense attorney Arthur Aidala argued that his client should not face another trial.
Farber scheduled a status hearing for July 2 and ordered Weinstein to be retried on the rape charge again. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the women who testified against Weinstein were courageous and vowed to continue pursuing the third-degree rape charge.
The mistrial marks the latest setback in Weinstein’s legal battles, which have defined the #MeToo movement and led to his downfall as a prominent figure in the film industry.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news