NEW YORK (AP) — A juror in Harvey Weinstein’s intercourse crimes trial requested to be faraway from the case Friday as a result of he felt his fellow jurors have been treating a member of their panel in an “unfair and unjust” method, however the choose advised him he needed to hold deliberating.
Decide Curtis Farber later denied a protection request for a mistrial, saying he believed the juror was merely expressing discomfort within the deliberation course of, noting that he’s the youngest on the 12-person panel.
“This is nothing other than normal tensions during heated deliberations,” Farber advised the attorneys after the juror rejoined his friends. “Perhaps his youth makes him uncomfortable with conflict.”
The juror mentioned he wished to be excused from the trial as a result of he was uncomfortable with how some jurors have been appearing towards one other juror.
However Farber denied the request, saying there have been no extra alternate jurors to switch him and, in any case, his considerations didn’t warrant being dismissed.
The juror insisted, calling the remedy “unfair and unjust” whilst he described the stress as “playground stuff” with jurors shunning one other juror and speaking behind their again.
Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala argued that the jury needs to be advised to cease deliberating whereas the court docket came upon extra concerning the considerations.
He criticized the choose’s inquiries to the involved juror as “anemic at best.”
“You didn’t ask him one follow-up question,” Aidala mentioned.
Manhattan prosecutor Nicole Blumberg mentioned the choose acted appropriately by reminding jurors concerning the expectations for them — together with that they not communicate to anybody concerning the case until all members of the jury are deliberating.
Regardless of the dispute is, she added, it doesn’t look like hindering the jury’s work, because the panel requested a further readout of testimony, this time from the third accuser within the case.
The Manhattan jury ended its first day of deliberations Thursday with out reaching a verdict. Sexual misconduct allegations in opposition to Weinstein propelled the #MeToo motion in 2017.
The panel has reheard some testimony and considered medical data and emails.
The jury of seven girls and 5 males is contemplating two counts of felony intercourse act and one depend of rape in opposition to the 73-year-old Oscar-winning film producer, with the felony intercourse act fees the higher-degree felonies. Weinstein has pleaded not responsible.
Weinstein was convicted of intercourse crimes in New York and California, however the New York conviction was overturned final yr, resulting in the retrial earlier than a brand new jury and a unique choose.
Jurors heard greater than 5 weeks of testimony, together with prolonged testimony from three accusers.
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Comply with Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.
