A New York judge declared a mistrial on the remaining rape charge against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein after the jury foreperson said he would no longer participate in deliberations.
The decision to end deliberations came on Thursday, just one day after the jury reached a partial verdict on other charges. According to the foreperson, tensions had escalated inside the jury room.
He told the court he felt bullied by another juror and refused to rejoin the discussions.
The judge’s declaration comes after Weinstein was convicted of one of the top charges but was acquitted of another. Both charges concerned accusations of forcing oral sex on women in 2006. Weinstein has denied all charges.
HARVEY WEINSTEIN FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, ACQUITTED ON ANOTHER CHARGE IN METOO RETRIAL
Jessica Mann, a hairstylist and actor, had accused Weinstein of a rape she allegedly endured in a Manhattan hotel room. Mann testified for days – as she did in 2020 – about why she continued to see and have consensual encounters with Weinstein afterward.
“Rape can happen in relationships — and in dynamics where power and manipulation control the narrative,” Mann said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.
The first-degree criminal sexual act count carries a maximum sentence of 25 years. A status conference will be held on July 2 to determine the next steps, though a new trial date for the rape charge has yet to be set.
In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Weinstein, said Wednesday, “We take the wins where we get them — and the acquittal on the Sokola charge was a major one. A conviction there would have reset the sentencing clock entirely… This trial has raised substantial appellate issues — and Harvey would welcome the opportunity to have those fully reviewed. It is the Court and the prosecution who now have every incentive to avoid seeing this case overturned on appeal.”
Engelmayer continued, “That reality creates an opening for a fair and balanced sentencing outcome — one that serves the interests of justice and gives Harvey a path to come home much sooner than many expected.”
HARVEY WEINSTEIN’S TEAM STRESSES SEX CRIME RETRIAL COULD LEAD TO DEATH, REQUESTS HOSPITAL STAY
After several days of deliberations, the verdict reached on June 11 marked a partial victory for Weinstein’s accusers.
Miriam Haley, the producer and production assistant whom Weinstein was convicted — twice now — of sexually assaulting, said outside court that the verdict on the charge concerning her gave her “hope.”
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Accuser Kaja Sokola also called it “a big win for everyone,” despite Weinstein being acquitted of forcibly performing oral sex on her when she was a 19-year-old fashion model.
Weinstein was also convicted of raping another woman in California. He is appealing that conviction.
The New York retrial stemmed from a 2020 conviction. The case against Weinstein was retried and reshaped since an appeals court overturned the verdict.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
In a 4-3 decision, the court found that Weinstein’s trial judge allowed prosecutors to call women who said Weinstein had assaulted them to testify, even though their accusations did not specifically relate to the entertainment mogul’s charges.
Weinstein’s initial conviction five years ago seemed to cement the downfall of one of Hollywood’s most powerful men in a pivotal moment for the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
