NEW YORK: Jurors in Harvey Weinstein’s rape and sexual assault retrial began deliberations on Thursday (Jun 5) morning, following final instructions from New York Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber. The judge urged them to independently assess the credibility of three women who accused the former Hollywood mogul of sexual assault, which the defense argued were fabrications.
Weinstein, 73, is charged with raping aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013 and sexually assaulting two other women in 2006 and 2002. He has pleaded not guilty and continues to deny all allegations of non-consensual sex or assault. The retrial was necessitated after a New York appeals court overturned his 2020 conviction in April 2024, citing judicial errors.
If convicted, Weinstein faces up to 25 years in prison for two counts of criminal sexual acts and up to four years for one count of rape. He is already serving a 16-year sentence following a 2022 rape conviction in California.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Weinstein thanked the judge and court staff, calling his treatment “incredibly fair.” This followed an unsuccessful motion for mistrial by his defense lawyer, Arthur Aidala, after a sick juror was replaced with an alternate.
PREDATORY BEHAVIOUR
Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office described Weinstein as a manipulative industry figure who used his power to lure women into vulnerable situations.
“He held the golden ticket, the chance to make it or not,” said prosecutor Nicole Blumberg during closing arguments on Wednesday. “He made each of these women feel small, no match for the power broker of Hollywood.”
The prosecution contends that Weinstein systematically offered career opportunities before isolating his victims and assaulting them.
