Harvey Weinstein retrial ends in mistrial amid juror chaos

On June 12, 2025, a New York judge declared a mistrial in Harvey Weinstein's sex crimes retrial. This decision came after the jury had delivered a partial verdict on two of the three charges against him. The jury unanimously convicted Weinstein of criminal sexual act in the first degree for assaulting former production assistant Miriam Haley but could not reach a verdict on the third-degree rape charge involving former actress Jessica Mann. Reports indicated a tumultuous jury deliberation process, with claims of bullying and threats among jurors contributing to their failure to come to a consensus on the remaining charge. The mistrial was triggered when the foreman of the jury stated that he felt unsafe in the deliberation room, citing a threatening remark made by another juror. He refused to return to deliberation, which caused the judge presiding over the case to declare a mistrial on the remaining charge. This event occurred just a day after Weinstein had been found guilty on the first charge, underscoring the intense atmosphere within the jury room that ultimately led to chaos in the deliberation process. Several jurors expressed disappointment as they believed that Weinstein should be convicted of the outstanding charge. The fallout from Weinstein's retrial is significant, particularly given the history of his previous convictions and ongoing legal battles. Weinstein had initially been convicted in 2020 but that conviction was overturned by an appeals court, prompting this retrial. The court's decision to allow the retrial followed questions about the previous trial’s proceedings, leading to a complex legal landscape that reflected the heightened scrutiny surrounding cases of sexual violence and power dynamics in the industry. Jessica Mann, who accused Weinstein of rape, remained committed to seeking justice, stating her willingness to testify for a third time in hopes of securing a conviction on the unresolved charge. This incident reveals not only the challenges faced by sexual assault survivors in the courtroom but also the broader implications of juror conduct and the importance of maintaining a fair and objective deliberation process. The judge has scheduled a status hearing to decide the next steps in the case, indicating that while there was a mistrial on one charge, the legal process regarding Weinstein's actions will continue.