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    Harvey Weinstein rape charge: New York judge declares mistrial after jury feud; conviction on Haley stands, retrial on Mann likely – Times of India

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    A New York judge declared a mistrial Thursday on the remaining rape charge against Harvey Weinstein after a heated dispute inside the jury room prompted the jury foreperson to refuse further participation in deliberations.“Deliberations became heated to such a degree I am obligated to declare a mistrial on the one count on which you didn’t reach a verdict,” Judge Curtis Farber told jurors, referring to the charge that Weinstein raped Jessica Mann. A retrial on that specific count will be scheduled at a later date.The mistrial came just a day after the jury convicted Weinstein of sexually assaulting former production assistant Miriam Haley and acquitted him of similar allegations brought by model Kaja Sokola. Tensions reportedly escalated behind closed doors, with the jury foreperson citing threats from another juror. “One other juror made comments to the effect, ‘I’ll meet you outside one day,’” Judge Farber said, recounting the foreman’s concerns.Weinstein’s defence attorney, Arthur Aidala, demanded a mistrial over the discord. Weinstein himself also addressed the court, saying, “We’ve heard threats, violence, intimidation — this is not right for me… the person who is on trial here.”Weinstein is already serving a 16-year sentence following a separate rape conviction in California. His earlier 2020 conviction in New York — which carried a 23-year sentence — was overturned last year due to procedural errors.The retrial proceedings have been marred by juror infighting. At least two jurors lodged private complaints about others’ behaviour, further destabilising the case.Weinstein’s conviction on the Haley charge is a victory for the accuser, whose original complaint was central to his 2020 conviction and helped ignite the global #MeToo movement. That movement, triggered by a wave of allegations against Weinstein in 2017, exposed widespread sexual abuse across the entertainment industry and beyond.Over 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, including high-profile actresses and industry professionals. The disgraced producer’s dramatic fall from power continues to symbolise the broader reckoning with abuses of power in Hollywood.





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