Third Weinstein Rape Trial Ends in Mistrial After Jury Deadlocks

Another Deadlocked Jury Leaves Justice Uncertain

Harvey Weinstein's third trial for rape charges in New York ended Friday with another hung jury, marking an unprecedented legal saga that has stretched across multiple courts and years. The Manhattan jury deadlocked after three days of deliberations, unable to reach a unanimous verdict on whether the former Hollywood mogul raped aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013 .

Nine jurors favored acquittal while three wanted to convict , according to defense attorneys who spoke outside the courthouse. The jury sent a note Friday morning stating they "have concluded that they cannot reach" a unanimous verdict , prompting Judge Curtis Farber to declare the mistrial over prosecutors' objections.

This marks the second consecutive hung jury on Mann's allegations. Last year's retrial also ended in deadlock on her case, though Weinstein was convicted on charges involving another accuser . The 74-year-old defendant appeared expressionless as court officers wheeled him from the courtroom, his health visibly deteriorated from years of incarceration.

A Decade-Long Legal Battle

Weinstein was first convicted of assaulting Mann in 2020 , but that victory proved short-lived. New York's highest court overturned the conviction in April 2024, ruling that the trial judge improperly allowed prejudicial testimony from women whose allegations weren't part of the charged crimes .

Mann, now 40, testified that while she willingly had some sexual encounters with the then-married producer, he subjected her to unwanted sex at a Manhattan DoubleTree hotel after she repeatedly said no . Defense attorneys emphasized that Mann continued seeing Weinstein afterward and expressed warmth toward him, while she maintained she was "mired in complicated feelings" about the relationship .

Mann spent five days testifying about the alleged March 18, 2013 attack, marking her third time taking the stand this decade . The emotional toll has been immense - prosecutors noted she has "relived unthinkably painful experiences in front of complete strangers" across multiple trials.

The Broader #MeToo Legacy

As an Oscar-winning producer and studio boss, Weinstein was among Hollywood's most powerful figures before sexual harassment allegations cascaded into public view in 2017, galvanizing the #MeToo movement and ultimately leading to criminal charges . His downfall marked a watershed moment for accountability in entertainment and beyond.

Yet the repeated mistrials highlight the complexities of prosecuting decades-old sexual assault cases. Mann received about $500,000 from a settlement fund after Weinstein's 2020 conviction , though this payout wasn't mentioned in the current trial. She released a statement saying the mistrial "doesn't in any way detract from the truth I told," adding "I chose to testify in three trials because I am telling the truth" .

What Comes Next

A hearing is scheduled for June 24 to determine whether Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will pursue a fourth trial, with prosecutors saying they'll consult with Mann before deciding . Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo urged prosecutors to abandon the case, arguing his client's poor health and the repeated hung juries demonstrate the futility of further proceedings.

Regardless of this case's outcome, Weinstein remains imprisoned on his 16-year California sentence for separate rape and sexual assault convictions from 2022 . He also faces up to 25 years for his 2025 New York conviction involving another accuser , ensuring he'll likely spend his remaining years behind bars.

The Mann case represents both the promise and limitations of the #MeToo era's legal reckoning. While her courage in repeatedly testifying has inspired other survivors, the inability of three separate juries to reach consensus underscores how difficult it remains to secure convictions in complex sexual assault cases, even when they involve powerful perpetrators whose behavior helped define a movement.