Harvey Weinstein’s third Manhattan sex crimes trialended in a mistrial Friday after the jury couldn’t unanimously decide whether to convict the ex-Miramax boss of allegedly raping actress Jessica Mann in 2013.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Curtis Farber declared a mistrial just after 1 p.m. — marking the second time a jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict on Mann’s allegations.
For the 74-year-old former Miramax boss, it was the third trial he faced over accusations he raped Mann inside the DoubleTree hotel in Midtown on March 18, 2013 — which Mann recounted on the witness stand for five days at the four-week trial.
Earlier Thursday morning, the jury had sent a note saying it could not reach a unanimous decision — which prompted the judge to issue an Allen charge, instructing the panelists to continue their deliberations.
But the jurors sent another note at the lunch break, saying they couldn’t reach an agreement.
“We feel no one is going to change where they stand,” the note read.
Weinstein’s attorney Marc Agnifilo motioned for a mistrial, which was granted by the judge
Mann, now 40,broke down several times during her painful testimonyas she faced off against her abuser for the third time after a jury at last year’s retrial could not convict the ex-powerhouse producer of rape.
“I said, ‘No’ over and over and I tried to leave,” Mann said through sobs, shortly before she demonstrated to jurors how Weinstein allegedly pinned both of her wrists above her head during the sex attack.
Mann had testified that she did have a consensual relationship at one point because she felt it could lead to a “loving relationship” — while also acknowledging she knew about Weinstein’s power in Tinseltown and how it affected her decision to get involved with him.
Source: Drudge Report
